The Ark: A Land Lost in Time
by Scriffignano
Summary: Meet Arc, a young rancher from Oklahoma lost in a land populated by creatures great and small from all points in time. Along the way he will make allies and enemies, survive in a kill or be killed environment, and learn what secrets this primal yet beautiful land has locked away deep in its core. (will include and wanting collaboration projects).
1. Chapter 1

**Hello my fellow fan fiction writers, readers, and reviewers. I would like to take this time to say thank you for your continued support on my other story, "Pokemon: The Untold Story of Arc". Now though... I feel that its time to start a new adventure, but this time in the realm of Ark Survival Evolved!.**

 **As always... please read and enjoy~ Scriffignano**

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 **The sun shone brightly as a new day dawned, but not all was well. Aches, pains, and the beating sun ravaged his body as he laid face down in the soft, but hot sand. His senses slowly came back to him and he struggled to his knees and looked around to see a beautiful beach lined with palm trees and other low lying shrubbery and ferns.**

 **"What the hell?" A young gentleman looked around. "Where in the fucks sake am I? And for that matter… where the hell are my cloths?!" He immediately noticed that he was wearing nothing but a simple loincloth around his waist**

 **Utterly confused by what was going on, he scratched his wrist only to feel something extremely hard where it shouldn't be. Looking down, he discovered a diamond shaped apparatus set in his wrist. Terrified at what it was he tried to pull it off, but as soon as he made a single tug, he realized that it was firmly fused to his skin.**

 **"What is this thing?" He pressed his fingers against the apparatus, feeling the cold steel underneath his fingertips.**

 **He continued to examine the implant, noticing the orange etching that outlined a diamond shape in the steel, but he had to stop soon after. A strange noise that reminded him of something scratching against steel resonated from behind him, The young gentleman slowly turned around and came face to face with a pair of strange scaly bipedal lizards with crests on their head and frills around their neck. There were also a nasty assortment of quills that ran down the middle of the creatures back.**

 **"These are…!" The gentleman looked surprised. "D- d- Dinosaurs! But how?"**

 **The young man didn't have time to ponder the situation for one of the little dinosaurs hissed loudly and flared its frills out. Its mate did the same and made a disgusting sound similar to choking before spitting some sort of green acid at the young man making him jump back in response.**

 **"Oh shit!"he decided to run from the small hunters knowing he was outnumbered and outmatched in a fight against them.**

 **The little hunters started to pursue him across the beach, showing surprising swiftness. He could only hope that he can escape with his life now.**

 **"I have no idea what's going on here, but I'm definitely no longer in Tulsa, Oklahoma!"**

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 **Chapter 1**

Arc clambered up a nearby tree and waited patiently while listening to his surroundings. Many moons have passed since his arrival on this mysterious land, but the days have blurred together and have not been gentle to him. After running across those two small hunters which he learned were Dilophosaurus on his first day, he also encountered some of the other residents of this hostile land including a nasty pack of Utahraptors that would have surely killed him if a passing potbellied pig like animal called a Phiomia hadn't caught their attention. He had also come across a few flocks of pudgy Dodo birds while here and often made a quick meal out of them whenever he saw them.

This time though… he was on the hunt for much bigger prey. A few days ago he had spotted the tracks of an injured animal, but every time he would venture after it, the animal would vanish into the thicker parts of the forest for safety. This time he was ready for the beast and got ahead of it before it had a chance to escape into the forest.

After about an hour of waiting, his patience started to pay off. A large herd of Parasaurolophus lumbered down the shoreline towards the game trails that would lead deeper in the forest. Towards the back of the herd he spotted a young female Parasaurolophus with a pronounced limp in her right leg and a trail of blood following her. Arc was amazed that the animal had survived for as long as she has without getting picked off by predators, but her luck was soon about to turn for the worst.

The herd slowly moved into the forest one by one, funneled in by the narrow game trail they chose, leaving them completely exposed for an attack. Just as the injured female was about to pass under the tree that Arc was hiding in, he whistled loudly causing the entire herd to pause for a moment. Hidden in the undergrowth were a pair of frilled Dilophosaurus ready to pounce and they each jumped out of their hiding spot before spraying their noxious venom at the injured Parasaurolophus, blinding the animal. She bellowed in pain and thrashed about, trying to figure out where her assailants were hiding.

With the animal temporarily blinded and her herd hightailing it deeper into the forest, Arc jumped out of the tree with his spear in hand and landed on the Parasaurolophus' flanks. The force of his landing knocked her off balance and sent the injured Parasaurolophus crashing to the ground giving Arc the opportunity he was looking for. He drove his spear into the ribcage of his quarry, piercing its heart and killing it before it could even bleat for a second time.

The two Dilophosaurus hissed and clicked as they gathered to finish off the already dead animal, but stopped when Arc blocked them with his spear. "Gears! Mavis! Stand down!" His voice was stern.

The two hunters then waited patiently as Arc stuck his spear into the ground and pulled out a crude flint knife he had made. He then started to clean the fresh carcass, taking as much of the hide as he could before slicing deep into the tender flesh of the animal. Even though this was his first time actually bringing down a Parasaurolophus, he had scavenged from the carcasses of this species on many occasions making it easy to know which cuts had the best flavor. Once he finished harvesting the meat he then drove his knife into the neck of the beast and sliced off the head.

After he finished taking what he was able to carry for himself, he stood up and snapped his fingers twice gaining the attention of both Gears and Mavis. They charged forward and started to tear off huge chunks of flesh from the carcass before diving into the chest cavity of the animal. The first thing to go was the liver and surprisingly, Gears and Mavis were actually sharing instead of fighting over the most nutrient rich portions of the animal's innards.

Once they had eaten their fill, Arc kneeled down next to Gears and strapped a small set of leather bags on the hunter before moving on to Mavis. He then filled the bags up with meat from the hunt, knowing that he needed to distribute the weight amongst all of them if they were to make it home.

"Okay you two. Let's head home." Arc shouldered a thick leather backpack and headed for the beach with his two pets in tow.

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"What… where the hell am I" A young woman pushed herself up from the sandy shoreline and scanned her surroundings.

Up above, two bat like creatures screeched loudly as they passed by drawing the young ladies attention for a quick moment. She wondered what the leathery creatures were, knowing full well that they were way too big to be any known species of bat.

Scared of her surroundings, they young lady took several steps back and accidentally stepped on something soft and fleshy. Turning around, she discovered that she accidentally stepped on someone's hand, but the poor sap that the hand was attached to was already dead. His throat was ripped out and blood coated the ground where his body was dragged. His organs were also spilled onto the sand and there was obvious signs that something was feeding on the carcass. The young woman screamed at the sight, her voice echoing across the beach with deafening volume.

"This isn't happening! What is this horrible place?!" She turned on a heel and ran up the beach towards a huge mass of rocky outcrops where she hoped to find shelter.

Unbeknownst to her, she was being watched from within the dense foliage by several sets of glowing red eyes. A series of hoarse croaks and squawks soon followed as the red eyes disappeared into the forest.

Arc and his two Dilos sat in the relative safety of his thatch hut and roasted a bloody slab of Parasaurolophus steak over an open flame. His home was a simple setup of a couple home made chests, a bed, table for crafting and a couple of hide rugs laid out on the floor for Mavis and Gears respectively.

It was still early in the day, but due to the fact that Arc was out for most of the night stalking the Parasaurolophus herd, he was really tired and wanted nothing more than to take a mid morning nap.

"Stand guard you two… I'm going to catch some-" He was just about to fall asleep when he heard a loud scream come from right outside his hut.

Arc jumped to his feet and whistled loudly, alerting both Gears and Mavis to be ready to fight. Arc grabbed his spear and jumped out the front door, but no one was there. The scream resonated again from deep within the craggy outcrops that surrounded his home.

"Shit… not again." Arc took off running towards the noise with Gears and Mavis hot on his trail.

He rounded a corner and spotted a young female wearing nothing more than simple white undergarments cornered by a pair of tall birds… Terror birds to be exact. They reminded Arc of chickens, but these chickens had sledgehammer like beaks, stood seven feet tall, and had talons that could rake your flesh with the greatest of ease.

She screamed again as the birds drew even closer and squaked loudly. It seemed all over for the young survivor as she did nothing more than just curl up into a ball and whimpered as the birds closed in for the kill. One of them that was covered in white downy feathers leaned in and opened its massive beak to crush her head before giving off a hoarse cackle of pain. Turning around, the Terror bird spotted a spear embedded in its side and Arc wrestling its mate with his knife while on its back..

Every time it would go to snap at Arc, he would draw back his arm before plunging his knife back into the soft hide that covered the feathered beast. He then whistled loudly and his two hunters Gears and Mavis shot vile globs of acid at the struggling carnivore, blinding it in the process.

The girl who had been laying there the entire time looked up only to see a young man as he drove his knife into the eye socket of the bird, killing it instantaneously before rolling away from its twitching corpse.

She could only watch in terror as the second bird gave a series of hoarse croaks as it aimed to avenge the death of its mate. Charging forward, the bird drove its head into the man's chest, knocking the wind out of him. The twin scaled creatures that accompanied her would be rescuer hissed and made a series of clicks before circling the birds and nipping at its heels in an attempt to keep it at bay. Their attempts while valiant, did little more than pester the carnivore as it kicked them both aside and charged back at the young man. Her fear and anxiety built to a breaking point and she passed out due to the stress she was under.

Arc was still recovering from the last blow and it seemed like it was going to be the end for him, but he had one more surprise up his sleeve. Twisting to the side at the last moment, Arc dodged the massive bird with only inches to spare and watched as it crashed into the tree behind it.

With its neck broken by the force of the collision, the Terror bird's limp body crumpled to the ground in a messy heap and twitched for several seconds. It wasn't the first time that he had tangled with Terror birds and it probably won't be the last. He knew that while they were powerful creatures, they aren't the brightest and could be fooled easily into killing themselves unintentionally. Their bones were hollow much like the birds he grew up with at home, so any real pressure placed on them would make them shatter like glass.

With both of the birds dead, Arc sat down on his knees and panted heavily. Sweat glistened on his body as he recovered from the efforts involved with killing the two Terror Birds. Nearby, Gears and Mavis tore away at the body of the animals, relishing in the delicacies that resided in the animal's chest cavity.

After regaining his energy, Arc stood back up, retrieved his knife and spear and walked over to where the young girl had fallen unconscious. She was much shorter than Arc was and more heavily built. Her hair was burnt red, almost brown in color and her face was quite beautiful in his personal opinion. She also looked to be the kind of girl that didn't say much unless she was comfortable around someone.

He then hoisted her over his shoulder and walked towards his house with both Gears and Mavis in tow. He planned on coming back to harvest what he could from the two Terror Birds, but for now he needed to get the young lady somewhere she could recover from the trauma she just experienced.

"Well… it looks like I'm going to lose my bed for a bit." Arc chuckled to himself.

Several hours had passed before the young lady's eyes started to flutter open. She sat up and found herself in a quaint thatch cabin with only a few basic amenities and an open fire. There was a slab of meat roasting over the flame that caught her immediate attention. She was starved and despite the fact that she was in a stranger's home, she took a nibble off the slab and found the taste to be rather savory.

She was just about to take another bite when she heard someone yell outside. Confused, she crept towards the door and took a gander outside to see the same young man that she saw grappling with the two overgrown chickens that attacked her earlier. Nearby she also spotted the pair of tiny scaled beasts that were with him during the fight. They seemed to be building something, but it was unclear as to what it was.

"Well good morning sleeping beauty." The young man noticed her peering at him from inside his house.

Unsure of how to answer him, she stepped outside the house and gave him a small wave while still being very shy and guarded about herself. He waved back at her and gave her a big smile, showing that he was delighted to finally have someone to talk to.

"So… you gonna tell me your name?" He continued his work and split a piece of wood using a simple stone hatchet.

"Um… my name is… Kylie. Kylie Kendra. What's your's" She stammered a bit.

"The name is Arc. Arc Sabor, and the two Dilophosaurus over there are Gears and Mavis." He pointed at his two frilled hunters that clicked and hissed in response.

She eyed up the small dinosaurs and took an immediate notice of the sharp teeth that lined their mouths. Unsure of their behavior, Kylie questioned whether they were safe to be around or if they would attack her.

"Gears and Mavis are as loyal as a household dog. They won't hurt you." He walked over and smoothed the quills that lined their backs.

She knelt down and put a hand out submissively for them to sniff. Understanding that she was a friend and not a foe, both Gears and Mavis made sharp clicks of respect before nuzzling up against her body. They then made several chatters before dashing off behind the house .

The outside of Arc's little shack was lined with a simple wall and a spiked barrier that keep most predators at bay. He had several more storage sheds out here that were filled with wood, thatch and plant fibers that he used to build the structures that made his home.

"You have a nice home. Did you build it yourself." Kylie questioned.

"I sure did. I've been living here for the last nine months or so, but... the days have begun to blur together. I don't even know if it's January or September anymore." He chopped another piece of wood and started lashing them together. "Can you do me a favor and get me that piece of hide over there?"

Kylie looked behind her to see a massive rolled up piece of hide laying on the sand and picked it up. She unrolled it at Arc's request and helped him lay it out across the wooden frame that he had just lashed together.

"What are you making?" She was curious of his work.

"I'm making another bed. You're going to need a place to sleep aren't you?" He chuckled and started poking holes in the edges of the hide.

"Place to sleep?... you mean you're going to let me stay here with you?"

"Well… would you rather me toss you to the Terror Birds and Utahraptors outside that fence?" He stuck his knife in the sand and began to weave plant fibers through the holes in the hide, effectively making a taught and comfortable surface for her to sleep on. "Look… the Ark is not exactly a place that you can go trouncing around on your own. You'll be dead before you could even say oops."

She cringed at the harshness of his words and became really quiet. She was grateful of his kindness, but couldn't help but feel like she was imposing too much on him. "Are you sure it's okay? I feel like I'm imposing too much on you."

"Nonsense… I don't get many visitors these days and I would love to have an extra set of hands around to help out. Think of it this way. You need a place to stay and I need the extra help." He smiled at her and picked up the bed frame. "By the way… I made you some clothes. They are hanging up over there." He pointed at a clothesline towards the back of the house.

Kylie looked down at herself and blushed, realizing that she was still wearing the simple white undergarments she found herself in when she arrived here. As Arc got the bed in the house, She got dressed into the clothes he provided and saw that actually fit her reasonably well. The chest area was a bit tight, but other than that the clothes were rather comfortable.

"Thank you." She gave him a slight bow after going back inside and finding a fresh bed for her to sleep on and the clothes he provided for her. "I just hope I can return the favor soon."

"I can almost guarantee that." He started looking through one of the chests when he heard a knock coming from outside.

"What was that?" Kylie jumped at the noise that was followed by several musical bellows.

"Well well well. Sounds like Sasha and Harley are here." Arc pulled out a couple of leather bags and walked out the front door.

"Who?" Kylie was really confused. "I thought you and I were the only humans here."

"Hardly… there are several tribes that dot the island, but not all of them are friendly." Arc moved a log that was used to barricade the front gate. "Sasha and Harley are members of the Thunderhoof Traders that make their home just to the west of us. The stop by every so often to trade goods with me." He smiled.

Arc pushed open the gate to meet two young women and their Parasaurolophus mounts. They wore simple leather armor and were each equipped with a weapon of their choice. Harley was a slim young curly haired redhead that had a bow strapped to her back. Sasha on the other hand was a more brawny woman that brandished a war axe made from a sharpened clam shell lashed to a piece of bone.

"Good afternoon ladies!" Arc greeted them like old friends. "What brings you to my humble abode?"

"Good afternoon to you to Arc." Sasha was the first to respond. "Came to see if you needed anything."

"I always need things." Arc chuckled. "But these are what I have to trade." He tossed the leather bags at Harley which she caught expertly.

Kneeling down, Sasha and Harley started rummaging through the bags and pulled out the items that caught their interest. Some of the things they had were bone fragments from previous kills Arc had made, the talons of the Terror birds that he killed to save Kylie, and other raw materials.

"Well it seems that you had some good luck on your side if you were able to get- Who… is she?" Harley immediately noticed Kylie standing there awkwardly behind Arc.

"Oh… Harley, Sasha… This is Kylie Kendra." He pulled her over so she could meet his two trader friends. "I met her earlier today."

"Well it's a pleasure to meet you." They both waved at her. "You new to the Ark?"

"Y-yeah." She spoke softly and shuffled her feet. "Its nice to meet you."

"Welcome to the hell then." Sasha laughed. "So Arc… what do you want for these?" She pointed at the mess of items that the two pulled out of the leather bags.

"I was hoping to get some spear tips, arrows for my bow, or if not those two then perhaps a new weapon all together." He made a motion towards Kylie. "She is going to need something eventually."

Kylie raised an eyebrow at Arc. She was shocked that she had just met this guy and he had already given her a place to sleep, clothes on her back, and now he was getting her a weapon. Either he was just overly generous or he had an ulterior motive about him.

"Well since we really need some of the things you have… How about we get you the spear tips and a simple weapon for your lady friend there." Harley walked over to her Parasaurolophus and rummaged through his saddle bags.

While Harley was digging around, Arc walked up to the two beasts of burden and pulled some berries out of his pocket. "Hey Buck, hi Blaze! How you two doing?" He gave them both treats and rubbed their bony crests.

The two Parasaurolophus made low rumbling noises in their crest and dipped their heads. By the time Arc was finished greeting the two mounts, Harley had a bag of goods ready for him. Opening the bag, Arc found a dozen or so spear heads that were sharp and ready to go. He then found a huge thigh bone that could easily make a devastating club if put in the right hands.

"Well as always… it's been a pleasure doing business with you Arc." The two ladies got back up in the saddles. "So when are you coming to visit us?"

"When I finally capture a ride of my own." Arc chuckled and waved them off.

"Well it should be easier now with an extra set of hands around. Take care you two." Sasha drove her heels into the sides of Blaze, spurring her forward towards the western shore where her home was.

Harley followed her upon Buck and the two disappeared over the hillside. Arc shouldered his bag of goods and walked back inside the safety of his compound. With a fresh set of spear heads and an extra pair of hands around to help him, Arc felt confident that things were going to get a little easier around here for him and Kylie.

"Arc… I have a question." Kylie followed him inside and helped put the wooden brace back on the gate. "Why did you do that for me?"

"Because it would be stupid to have you go out with me unarmed." He gave her the thighbone. "Now… you hungry?"

She hefted the weapon and found it relatively lightweight, but dense. It would certainly hurt if she were to hit someone or something with it. "Yeah… I could eat." She followed him inside.

The two lazed about for a good portion of the afternoon, getting to know each other and what their lives were like before being transported to this tropical nightmare. Arc started first and told of his life.

"I was a rancher in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I used to raise a wide variety of farm animals and rode a horse for a living." He smiled, remembering his old steed that he forged a bond with. "How about you? What was your life like?"

"Well…" Kylie sighed. "I was a college student near Chicago. The last thing I remember was an extremely bright light and then I found myself on that beach."

"Same thing here." Arc handed her a stone plate with a piece of meat and some berries on it. "And before you ask… No, I don't know if there is any way off this island." he sat down on his bed and began to eat. "I would have left long ago if I did know."

Kylie sighed and ate her meal in silence. The food was delicious and she found her new acquaintance to be a rather nice guy. He was well built and had golden blonde hair and dashing blue eyes. Several scars ravaged his arms, presumably from fighting the other residents of this hostile land. She then thought about what he said a little more and it begged an odd question.

"Wait... you said your from Oklahoma?" She earned a positive nod from him. "You sounds as if your from the mid west though... you don't even have an accent."

Arc chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Didn't live there long enough to acquire one. I moved from the mid west to Oklahoma only a year or so before I was banished to this nightmare."

After the two finished eating, Arc walked over to the chests again and started muttering to himself as he sorted through the things he had. After finishing with the chests he moved on to the crafting table and wrote down a small list on a sheet of hand crafted paper.

"We are going to have to go outside the base walls tomorrow." He gave Mavis and Gears a pat on the head before sitting back down.

"What for?" She was a bit scared of leaving the compound.

"We are running a bit low on some supplies… If all goes well we should have everything we need by tomorrow afternoon."

"I apologize if I'm the reason you're running short on things…" She felt bad about being such a burden.

"Don't be. If anything, this will be a great opportunity for us to try working together and if we are lucky… we will be able to capture a mount for us soon." He smiled before leaning back on the bed.

"Well… we should probably get some sleep. Night comes pretty early here and it's not safe to go out when the other more hostile predators start skulking around outside."

With that said, Arc and Kylie retired for the rest of the night, wandering in their wakeless dreams of what the future could hold for them.

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 **With the first chapter out, I would like to thank The Ultimate Survivor, author of "HOTD Ark Survival Evolved Crossover" for being the inspiration I needed to start this second project. For all those who may be curious, yes... the Arc you meet in this book is the very same OC that I use in my Pokemon story, but with a few cosmetic changes.**

 *****As always, Please REVIEW. Any feedback is very helpful, appreciated, and valuable.**

 *****Seriously! The only way that I can improve or hear your thoughts on my story is if you tell me as a community. LET ME KNOW!**

 **If you want me to review a story you have written before you review mine, tell me!**

 **Got a crazy idea... I love crazy! Let me know.**

 **Want to collaborate on a chapter... Rock on!**


	2. Chapter 2

**As always...** **please read and enjoy~ Scriffignano**

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

It has been several days since Arc rescued Kylie from the Terror Birds and things couldn't be going any smoother for the two. Together, they have been able to fortify the shelter they have stayed in and doubled the amount of resources they had at their disposal. During this time, Arc discovered much about Kylie that he wouldn't have known otherwise.

She was an excellent outdoors woman despite her timid demeanor. Fishing, gathering, and there were even some elements of hunting she was extremely good at. Arc could only watch in awe as she would often haul in more fish than him during his fishing trips and have vast assortments of berries gathered for their consumption.

"Hey catch!" Lily tossed Arc a very fat saber toothed fish that she had caught earlier that day.

"Oh shit!" Arc tried to get a grip on the flailing fish. "Hold still you slippery bastard."

Arc had to make sure that the salmon didn't get a grip on his arm with its sharp saber teeth so he decided to end it very quickly. Gripping the fish under the gills and by the tail, he ran behind the house and tossed the fish into a small pond that he and Kylie had dammed off with some large pieces of timbers.

It was a brilliant setup that the two had built so they could keep a small school of fish around in times when other methods of getting food were not working.

"So what now? Kylie joined him behind the hut and stuck her fingers in the water where the fish were. "Is there anything else that needs to be done?"

"Well… I hate to admit it, but until we get some extra muscle around here, we've done all that we can with making renovations to the home." Arc sighed.

"You're kidding me?"

"Not in the least bit…" Arc sighed. "The walls have been reinforced, we added an addition to the house, built a rain basin for water collection, made a live well out of the pond behind the house, and we have more food than we can shake a stick at… I'd say we are in great shape."

Kylie smiled, feeling good about herself that she was able to help him the same way that he helped her when she first arrived here. They seemed to make a pretty fantastic team and it seemed that life was going to be good for her here until she found a way back home.

"Hey…" Arc tapped her shoulder. "I got something for you."

Arc led Kylie inside the house and found something sitting on her bed with the blanket over it. Curious to what it was, she pulled the blanket back and found the club that Arc got her mere hours after saving her. The club now had a skull lashed to the head, turning it into a fierce war hammer that could not only bash and crush, but could also stab now.

"Is this a Terror bird skull?" She hefted the club and tapped the billed end of the skull with her finger.

"It's actually the skull of one of the birds that tried to kill you." He laughed. "I figured it was kind of fitting."

"Well… thank you." She tied the club to her waist and the smacked her mouth realizing she was rather thirsty. "Do we have any water left?"

Arc checked the reserves and found that all but two of his water skins were empty. He sighed and then tossed one of the full ones at Kylie before packing up all of the empty ones into his leather pack.

"What's wrong?" She noticed his low mumbling as he tossed all his waterskins into the leather bag.

"We are out of water and I know the rain basin is empty…" He shouldered the bag and grabbed his bow and spear. "We are going to have to go and get water from the river."

In silent agreement, Kylie grabbed her bag and they both left the safety of the compound with Mavis and Gears in tow.

"How far is the river from here?"

"About seven miles into the forest once we get on the other side of the bay. I would just follow the river upstream from the ocean, but that doesn't turn into good drinking water until you hit the swamp." He shivered. "And let's say that the last time I went there it ended badly."

"What's so bad about the swamp?" Kylie hopped over a rock that was sticking out of the sand.

"Well… there are Sarcosuchus or crocodiles the size of school buses, Dragonflies as big as eagles, man eating piranhas, and other hunters lurking there," He got a fierce shiver from Kylie. "Oh… and the diseases you could get there could even cripple a Brontosaurus. So I prefer to avoid it there if possible."

"Oh… That sounds fun." She walked a little closer to him. "Sounds like a perfect place to go."

"Ranks right up there with getting a horde of Titanomyrma nipping you on the ass." He rolled his eyes and followed one of the many game trails into the forest.

As they walked, Arc accidentally walked straight into a trap. Stepping on a trip wire, he set off a chain reaction to where a rope hidden in the underbrush latched to his leg, effectively holding him in place .

"Shit!" He fell over and landed face first in the dirt. "The hell was that?"

"What is this thing?" She examined the rope that held his foot. "Looks like a trap of some sort."

Arc rolled over and sliced the rope off with his knife. "It's a poacher's snare. Looks like the fuckers are back for round two." He growled as he gathered up the remains of the rope and put them in his bag.

"Poachers?" She questioned him. "I highly doubt you can call it poaching since this is an island that isn't governed by man made laws."

"Kylie… This land is governed by man made laws. This is the Thunderhoof Trader's turf and these fuckers have a nasty habit of coming in and slaughtering the animals in this area and thus destabilizing the ecosystem. It took me well over a month to drive them out of here." He examined a boot print left in the mud. "I guess they didn't get the message."

Diverting from their original goal, Arc followed the boot prints through the forest undergrowth to an abandoned camp littered with the remains of several dozen animals. There were also the charred remains of three tents and some random resources scattered amongst the camp

"I knew it…" He picked up a large vertebra and weighed it in his hands. "These dicks just don't know when to quit."

"What do you know about them?" She flipped over one of the tent's remains and found the skull of a large herbivore. "They seem to like leaving their crap everywhere."

"The poachers of this camp belong to the Titans, and they are as ruthless as they are destructive. " He sighed and took the skull that Kylie was holding. "Animals that are captured by them are either killed on the spot, or enslaved and used for either war or sport."

He then kneeled down and picked up a large bone plate. He shuddered and started spilling tears, obviously upset about the piece of bone. "Lost Hobbit… you god damned mother fucker…" He held the piece of bone close to him.

"What's wrong?" She knelt down next to him. "And who is Lost Hobbit?"

"This… belonged to a Stegosaurus that lived in this area that I knew rather well. I called her Breeze, and she had the most beautiful coloration of any dinosaur that I have ever seen." he handed her the plate and walked to the edge of the camp. "I tried to tame her once, but… her mate wasn't exactly too thrilled with that idea… and I actually had to move out of the area because of him." He snickered while he wiped the tears from his eyes. "Lost Hobbit is the man who leads the Titans and from what I heard… no one knows his actual name."

Kylie secretly stuck the bone plate in her backpack and walked over to Arc. He was finally composed after his outburst of sadness and started searching around and lifting up the remains of the camp.

"So this Lost Hobbit guy is responsible for all of this?" she watched as Gears and Mavis started playing tug of war with a leg bone that they found in the ash. "What do we do now?"

"Now…" Arc tossed a bow and a quiver of arrows to Kylie that he found under the remains of one of the tents. "We go and warn the Thunderhoof Traders. I'm a good friend of their leader Xpert… Get Down!" Arc stopped talking and dropped to ground.

Gears and Mavis followed their master's lead and settled down on their haunches. A low rumble could be heard followed by the snapping noise of the underbrush getting crushed by something big.

"What is i- Oh crap!' She ducked as a massive Stegosaurus lumbered through the middle of the camp.

The animals was armored from head to tail in thick black plates outlined with red. He had 3 sets of tail spikes, each colored as if they were dipped in blood and the rest of his hide was black with a tawny brown underbelly. While he sniffed around the camp, Kylie noticed an arrow embedded in one of the plates on his back, sheltered from being broken off by being between the two sets.

"It's Roach…" Arc whispered and crawled behind the bushes.

"Who?"

"Remember that Stegosaurus I was telling you about that I tried to tame?" Arc got an affirmative nod from Kylie. "Well… this was her mate, and he does not like me."

Kylie then understood the arrow in his back plate. Arc must have shot him there to draw his attention away so that he could capture the other Stegosaurus. Obviously the plan didn't work, but she couldn't help but have some real respect for Arc trying to take on such a magnificent animal.

As the animal sniffed around, Kylie started to develop a crazy, dangerous but possibly beneficial idea. She mulled over it for several seconds, and with every added detail she like the idea even more.

"Hey…" Kylie grabbed his attention. "I want to tame him." She smiled devilishly.

"You what?!" Arc dropped his spear. "Are you nuts? Not even the Titans could capture this guy and I was nearly killed by him. What makes you think we can now?"

"Because there are two of us now, we are smarter than those poachers, and we are not out to kill him." She retorted. "Think about it Arc. He would be a massively valuable asset to us and we are going to need the extra muscle if the Titans are as bad as you say they are."

She pulled her newly modified weapon off her belt and grabbed a length of rope from her pack. "You distract him and I'll tag him."

Without another word, Kylie turned around and scrambled up a nearby tree and waited patiently. She motioned towards Roach and raised her eyebrows as if to say "Well… what are you waiting for?"

Arc sighed and stood up to face his long time rival on the Ark. His Dilophosaurs hissed and gathered at his side to face Roach as well. Still feeling unsure about the plan, Arc whistled loudly, triggering Gears and Mavis to attack. The two screeched loudly and clamped down on Roach's back legs, making him roar in discomfort. With him now being distracted by Gears and Mavis, Arc ran around the front and jabbed Roach in the shoulder with the butt of his spear.

"Remember me?!" He sent the lumbering giant into a fit of rage. "Let's finish what we started!" Arc ducked as Roach swung his spiked tail over his head in an attempt to skewer him.

Arc rolled to the side and attempted to stay in front of Roach as he worked at wearing him out. The issue was that despite his massive size, Roach only had to pivot himself around to put Arc within striking distance of that massive tail of his.

"Oh… crap!" Arc watched as Roach positioned his tail right above his head.

Just as the Stegosaur was about to end Arc. Both Gears and Mavis jumped up and latched onto the sides of his neck and bit down on him. Their teeth were not long enough to pierce his thick hide, but it was enough to make him shift his weight to where the tail missed Arc.

He rolled away from the spiked tail and watched as Roach charged towards the tree that Kylie was hiding in. Instead of passing it though, he crashed into it using his shoulder as a battering ram throwing Gears and Mavis off in the process and snapping the tree off at its roots.

"Kylie! Jump!"

Being three steps ahead of him, Kylie lept out of the tree and landed on Roach's back with the rope and her club in hand. Throwing one end of the rope tied in a slipknot around the Stegosaur's neck, Kylie now had a firm grip of the beast and started wrestling him into submission.

"Don't just stand there!" Kylie pulled and tugged at the rope. "Keep him busy!"

While Kylie and Roach continued to fight for dominance, Arc grabbed the length of rope he got from the poachers trap and made a lasso out of it. Whipping it around his head, Arc tossed the rope and snagged Roach's tail which turned out to be a terrible idea.

Pissed off to know end that he had two hairless monkeys trying to make a mockery of him, Roach charged out of the camp and into the forest, unknowingly towards Arc's house. Unfortunately for him, Arc was being dragged across the forest floor in the process while Kylie tried her best to bring the beast to a grinding halt.

" _Damn he's strong!_ " Arc whistled for his two hunters to assist him again.

As the group tried to wrestle with Roach, Arc started to smell and all too familiar, but terrifying scent. Looking to where the smell was coming from, Arc saw that the forest had been set ablaze and the flames were quickly catching up to them.

"Kylie! Get off him!" Arc shouted frantically as he was being dragged.

"Why the hell would I do that?! We have him on the ropes!" Kylie didn't even look behind her, but continued her focus on controlling Roach.

Arc was about to tell her that there was fire, but his head struck a log and made him lose his grip on the rope. Dazed and disoriented, Arc could only watch as Kylie and Roach disappeared into the undergrowth.

"Fuck…" He rubbed his head and got back on his feet.

Gears and Mavis stopped when they saw their master and rejoined his side rather than go after their quarry. Arc gave them both a pat on the head before looking to see that the end of his spear was once again busted off.

"God damn you Roach… You always have to make a mess of things don't you." he started the task of putting a new head on his spear.

As he finished up, a panicked mass of animals ranging from Carnotaurs to Phiomias ran passed him in an attempt to flee from the flesh devouring flames. Arc, Gears, and Mavis also made a run for it, but they headed in the direction that Kylie and Roach went instead of towards the edge of the forest.

"Kylie! Where are you?!" He called out to her, but there was no response.

He continued to follow the trail left by the two, but suddenly stopped when the trees in front of him started to fall. Familiar with what was going on, Arc readied his spear and both of his Dilophosaurs waited with their frill stretched outwards. The forest stayed calm for a few moments except for the crackling sound of the flames as they approached. Arc slowly turned only to be ambushed by a hunting party of five humans astride several raptors and a Direwolf. Leading the band of marauders was a husky man clad in full flak armor sitting upon a bronze Megalosaurus covered in silvery grey down feathers. There was a sword strapped to his side and a crossbow on his back that could probably bring down an Allosaurus with a single well placed shot.

" _And… here comes round two..._ " Arc tightened his grip on his spear as the man riding the Megalosaurus dismounted.

"Well, well, well… look what the Pegomastax dragged in." He chuckled and crossed his arms as he loomed over Arc and his Dilophosaurs. "Hi there Arc."

"The fuck are you doing here Mirage?" Arc spat back. "I thought I made it clear that this is Thunderhoof territory and that-" He was cut off.

"And what the fuck are you going to do about you little runt?!" He shoved Arc only to get a series of hisses out of Gears and Mavis. "Those Thunderhoof pansies are weak and deserve to be slaughtered like cattle. Especially that leader of theirs."

"If you so much as lay a finger on anyone from that tribe I swear I will feed you your own liver on a fucking silver platter." Arc jabbed his spear at the man.

Mirage swatted the spear away and punched Arc, making him topple over with a bloody nose. "My scouts also told me that you now have a woman staying in that little tinder box of yours on the southern coast. A little shrimp puff like yourself has no business even being near women… let alone courting them in your home." He followed up by kicking both Gears and Mavis out of the way.

"You leave Kylie out of this you sick fucker." Arc got back to his feet. "And what the hell are you talking about… I just met the woman and she isn't even here."

"Well I certainly hope she isn't at your shack… because it isn't going to be there much longer." The man laughed as he climbed back up in the saddle. "Take care of this insect and bring me the girl."

"Yes sir!" The men said in unison as Mirage rode off back the way they came.

No sooner than he left, the riders started to close in on Arc and his two scaly companions. He knew there was no way he could fight all of them off, but he had no intentions of backing down. If today was to be his last, he was hellbent on taking at least one of the poachers with him to hell.

"Well… get on with it!" He noticed that the riders were being a bit hesitant with attacking him. "Either do what you came here to do or leave! I may be patient, but the fires aren't going to be!"

As if on cue, one of the nearby trees, torched by the flames fell and pinned one of the riders and his bright orange raptor down. They both screamed and flailed as the flames consumed them, leaving nothing but the charred smell of burning flesh.

Distracted by the death of their comrade, Arc bolted for the edge of the forest in hopes of getting away from them and behind the figurative safety of his walls. Gears and Mavis followed as quickly as they could, but they were not fast enough to escape the bloodthirsty group of marauders. The snow white dire wolf rider was upon them and had his mount bite down on Mavis' back leg while pinning Gears under his paw. There was no sign of

"Which will it be?" The man had a bloodcurdling smile. "Your pets… or your life?" His wolf bit down harder, making Mavis squeal with pain.

Arc hefted his spear and knocked it against a tree. "How about neither…"

Arc then bellowed and threw his spear at the wolfrider, impaling him in the chest and knocking him off his mount. Surprised by the death of its rider, the Direwolf let go of both Gears and Mavis and went to go sniff the corpse. While the wolf was busy, Gears made a mad dash to Arc's side while Mavis could only lay there as blood spilled from her wounded leg.

"Mavis!" Arc tried to run and save her, but only ended up gaining the attention of the Direwolf. Somehow he had forgotten that Direwolves were just as loyal as Utahraptors… if not more so.

Arc and the wolf started circling each other, the scent of smoke and burning carcasses thick in the air. He knew that this was going to be the final showdown between them and if he didn't finish it now, the other riders would kill him anyways.

The wolf snarled and settled into a low crouch as it continued to match Arc in their circle of death. Every so often it would make a mock lunge at him, trying to throw him off his balance, but Arc wasn't about to buy into that.

"Come on !" Arc shouted. "I haven't got all night!"

The Direwolf seemed to take offense to that and made its final lunge at Arc, intent on tearing out his throat. Thrown off by the ferocity of the attack, Arc merely rolled backwards and laid flat as the wolf passed gracefully over him.

Doubling back as soon as it landed, the the hunter latched on to Arc's arm and shook its head violently, tearing at his arm with bloody rage.

"Fuck my life!" Arc bashed the wolf in the face repeatedly.

His armor protected him from most of the teeth in the wolf's mouth, but the canines were stuck deep in his flesh and it refused to let go. Realizing that the wolf wasn't about to give up, Arc changed tactics and got himself underneath the wolf as it tried to tear his arm off. Wrapping his legs around the wolf, Arc tried to suffocate it while also trying not to pass out from the pain it was inflicting on him.

"Gears! Attack!"

At the sound of his master's call, the brave little Dilophosaurus shrieked and sank his sharp little teeth into the back leg of the wolf. Completely pinned down, the Direwolf could only hope to grab ahold of Arc's throat and kill him before being suffocated by the iron grip his legs had on it. Despite its best efforts, the wolf started losing consciousness slowly but surely until it finally laid still on the ground after a long and arduous fight. Arc laughed in triumph, trying to hide the sharp pain in his arm.

Gears made a series of clicks and tugged at Arc's sleeve before looking at Mavis. The little Dilophosaurus was still alive, but she had sustained a good amount of blood loss and was no longer able to stand on her own. He thought about putting the female down, but as soon as he drew his knife he paused. Mavis and Gears have been his hunting partners for a long time and until Kylie showed up… they were his only constant companions on this savage island. There was no way he could give up on her like that.

Wrapping his good arm around Mavis, he hoisted her over his shoulder and made a move to run for the shore. The problem was that he was now all turned around and the easiest way he knew how to get back to the beach was now blocked by a wall of fire.

"Shit… if I only knew where Kylie was." He took several steps back and accidentally tripped backwards over the deceased Direwolf but didn't lose his footing.

Just as he got his feet back under him, Arc heard another crash in the underbrush. Thinking that it was the Utahraptor riders, he readied to fight them even in his injured condition. He continued to think that until he heard a familiar voice bitching over the sound of foliage being trampled.

"Come on you pain in the ass! We're going this way!" Kylie and Roach crashed through the bushes and came to a grinding halt next to Arc. "Need a lift?"

"You going far?"Arc sarcastically rolled his eyes as she jumped off the Stegosaurus."So… how was your bonding experience?"

"Well I finally got him to break after he tripped over a stump and toppled over. He was unable to get back up because of the rope you had tied around his tail getting tangled in his feet so... he gave up." She smiled and threw Arc's pack up and over one of Roach's back plates. "He still needs a bit of training, but he will do in a pinch."

"Perfect! It doesn't get much pinchier than this bullshit." He pointed towards the raging inferno that was going to surround them

"What caused the fire?!" She gasped in horror.

"A raiding party from the Titan…" He looked to the flames. "Both Mavis and I are in a pretty bad way… Think you can get us out of here?"

"Climb on and we'll get the hell ou..." She was expecting him to get on with Mavis, but instead handed the little Dilophosaurus to her. "What are you doing?"

She watched as he took the length of rope that wrapped around one of Roach's plates and tied it to a dead wolf like animal lying on the ground. He then tied the other end to Roach before taking Mavis back and climbing aboard.

"That Direwolf may be dead, but trust me… We are going to need it if my fears are confirmed!" Arc sat between Roach's spines. "Now let's go!"

Kylie agreed and climbed up on Roach's back. Using the makeshift reins that she had made, Kylie spurred Roach forward with Gears in tow and the wolf carcass being dragged behind them. Crashing through the underbrush with reckless abandon, Arc and Kylie soon found themselves on the beach and away from the fire, but still really far from the base.

They watched as the fires consumed the forest and could hear the hopeless cries of the numerous animals that were now doomed to be fuel for the life consuming flames. Arc could only sigh as he watched part of his home be destroyed by such ruthless actions.

After taking a moment to compose himself, Arc tore off a piece of his cloth under armor and wrapped Mavis' wounds to stop the bleeding while Kylie drove Roach towards the house at a slow lumbering walk. Luckily if all went well she would recover just fine, but for now Mavis would have to sit and rest. Arc then wrapped his own wounds with another piece of his clothing, hoping that they wouldn't get infected.

"What fears were you talking about." Kylie finally broke the silence.

"What?"

"You made me drag that dead wolf out of the woods… what fears did you have that would make you want to save it?" Kylie wasn't angry, but there was a certain sharp tone in her voice.

Arc thought about it for a second. He didn't want to bring it up in hopes of living in denial for the time being, but it was too good to last. Arc looked up to see a separate cloud of smoke rising from the crags that he called home. Following the trail of smoke, Arc pointed to a small flickering light that could be seen amongst the rocky crags.

"That… is what I was fearing…" His heart sank as several unidentifiable figures ran from the light and towards the woods. "Our home is gone…"

The only thing that could be heard after that was the sea rolling up on the shore and Roach's footprints as he plod along the sandy shore. A horrible truth had finally set in and now they could no longer live in any sort of deniability.

"What do we do now?"

"The only thing we can do…" Arc sighed. "See if we can salvage anything and then head west."

"West?" Kylie questioned him. "Why west?"

"Because we are going to find refuge with some old friends… the Thunderhoof Traders." His eyes narrowed, silently swearing to slaughter the members of the Titan's tribe.

* * *

 **There will be more side notes in the future as characters are introduced and developed. For now... start thinking of tames for our hero.**

 *****As always, Please REVIEW. Any feedback is very helpful, appreciated, and valuable.**

 *****Seriously! The only way that I can improve or hear your thoughts on my story is if you tell me as a community. LET ME KNOW!**

 **If you want me to review a story you have written before you review mine, tell me!**

 **Got a crazy idea... I love crazy! Let me know.**

 **Want to collaborate on a chapter... Rock on!**


	3. Chapter 3

**As always...** **please read and enjoy~ Scriffignano**

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

Arc could only watch in despair as Kylie steered Roach through the remains of his home. While the place wasn't anything particularly special, it was his and he had built it from the ground up with his own two hands. Tears spilt from his eyes as he jumped off and walked by what was once his storage shelter. There was nothing left of it besides a pile of ash and a few scorched timbers.

"Gone… just like that." he sat in the ash and wallowed in shame.

"Arc…." Kylie jumped off Roach as well and put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry."

She could only imagine the pain he was feeling right now. Not only is he lost on a hostile island, but now he lost the only place that made him feel safe. Surprisingly, Arc stood back up and had a smile on his face.

"It's okay…" He wiped away the tears. "Homes can be rebuilt. I'm just glad we made it out of that alive."

With his resolve and morale still intact, Kylie watched as Arc started gathering any decent size timbers that were worth salvaging. He then walked over to a nearby boulder and started digging around the base of it. Gears joined him in this little endeavor and Kylie watched as they soon pulled a decent sized crate out from the hole.

"What's this?"

"My plan B." He opened the crate and revealed a variety of items that he had squirreled away. "Just in case something like this were to ever happen."

Inside the crate was a huge stockpile of leather, plant fibers, and there was even a legitimate steel knife with a beautiful hand carved handle made of solid ivory. Pulling out the hide and plant fibers, Arc set about making some sort of sled using the timbers that he had collected and a good length of plant fibers.

After securing the final piece to the sled, he had Kylie crawl up Roach's side and gently pass down Mavis to him. He would have done it himself, but it was clear that Roach still didn't like him and tried to swing his tail in annoyance. After getting a good hold on Mavis, he put her on the sled and examined his handiwork. The little Dilophosaurus was still in pretty bad shape, but at least now she had the strength to look around at her surroundings.

She trilled loudly, finding her new accommodations to be much more favorable than laying on top of the ten ton walking meat wagon. Arc then started weaving the fibers together and tied one end to the sled.

"Can you tie this to Roach somewhere?" He handed her the other end of the handmade rope.

"You mean… Roach is going to pull this thing?" Kylie wasn't sure how she felt about this.

It wasn't that she didn't want Roach to be used like a draft horse, because that what they captured him for. She was more worried that either the rope would break or Mavis would get hurt in the process somehow.

"I would have Gears do it, but he's too small and having her up on Roach's back puts her at even more risk because she might fall off." He then closed the crate and hefted over his shoulder. "Trust me… this is the best course of action until we get some help."

"Alright… but now what?" She looked as the sky started to grow dark. "We need to get moving."

"See if you can find anything that we can ." He picked up the steel knife and tied it to his waist. "I'm going to take care of the wolf we dragged here. Its fur will be useful when it gets cold out."

Without another word Arc walked over to the deceased wolf and pat its neck. While it was an enemy of his at one point and left a sizeable bite mark in his arm, he respected every creature whose life furthers his own and even tells the fish thank you before cleaning them. After paying his respects, Arc got on with the grisly task of skinning the wolf and butchering its carcass for the meat. The task left him smelling like a week old meatwagon and blood up to his elbows.

" _Bath time_!" he thought to himself as he scrubbed his arms in the ocean, careful not to get too much saltwater in the wound on his arm.

The two continued to salvage what they could after Arc threw the rolled up wolf pelt up on Roach's back. As they worked, the rains began to fall, making the footing around the camp turn from soft beachfront to a thick slurry of ash and sand that made walking almost impossible to do.

"Make sure that crate is secured!" He tossed the fiber rope over Roach's back and tied it off under his girth snuggly.

They had gotten everything that they could save from the remains of Arc's house and secured it on Roach's back. It was hard to do, but after grabbing his spear off the sand and wiping the rain that constantly pelted his face off, Arc looked at the remains of his house one last time before setting off with Kylie and their dinosaurs towards the western shores of the island.

Since Kylie had been the one to do most of the work in getting him tamed out, she took command Roach while Arc walked with Gears, keeping a vigilant eye on both Mavis and their surroundings. He knew that even though what used to be his home was relatively safe from predators, the rest of the island was one giant mixing bowl filled with all sorts of dangers both great and small. He could only hope that they could avoid the worst of it by sticking to the beaches.

"Hey Kylie…" Arc grabbed her attention as they made their way down the beach.

"What's up?"

"Congratulations on taming Roach." He smiled. "That was one hell of a fight you put him through."

"We tamed him together." She tried to give him the credit as well. "I wouldn't have been able to pull it off without your help."

"I see it this way… you're on him and I'm not. Simple as that."

That ended the debate over who got the credit on taming Roach. He was quite a magnificent animal, being able to hold a lot more than Arc anticipated , but there was a cost to his tremendous power. He was extremely slow and Arc often had to slow down in order for him to keep up.

"Sorry…" Kylie blushed as she goaded him to go faster.

"Why are you sorry?" Arc sighed. "I knew Stegosaurs were slow animals long before now. How do you think I escaped when I pissed off Roach the first time I tangled with him."

The beach they were on hugged the southern coast and had small groves of palm trees every so often, but other than that it was rather barren. The only animals that frequented the beaches this early in the day were either Dilophosaurs, Dodo birds and some peaceful medium sized herbivores.

It was quite tranquil to say the least and the silence was only broken when a Dodo or Parasaurolophus would bleat loudly to communicate with other members of its species to warn them of danger. The Triceratops and Stegosaurs of the island were relatively safe from the little predators that skulked the beaches, but Arc knew it was only a matter of time before the bigger meat eaters came out to tango with them. What made the whole situation worse was the fact that it was raining. The reduced visibility made traveling all the more dangerous for them and all it took was one mistake and they could run into something as bad as a pack of Utahraptors or a Carnotaurus.

"So tell me… what are the Thunderhoof Traders like. You speak very highly of them."

"Well… they are like family to me. I honestly wouldn't have survived this long without their help." He chuckled as he recounted his first days on this forsaken land. "Their leader is a man that goes by the name Xperthunter."

"Xperthunter?" She questioned him. "Sounds like a strange name to me."

"It's a nickname I gave him after I watched him knock a Pteranodon out of the sky with a slingshot." Arc told his tale. "His real name is Edward."

"I see… but there is one thing that still troubles me."

"Oh… and what's that?"

Kylie goaded Roach again seeing that she was falling behind. "If the Thunderhoof Traders are like family to you, then why did you decide to leave?"

"What are you talking about?" Arc was stunned by her allegation. "I never left them."

"Arc, you were living in a little shack out in the middle of nowhere with nothing but a couple of Dilophosaurs for company." She pointed out and got a hiss from both Gears and Mavis. "I don't know about you, but that qualifies as leaving to me."

"Kylie, I was serving as a guardian of the tribe's southern borders." He snapped. "The rules and laws that govern the outside world don't apply here if you haven't noticed. I had to kill someone yesterday because they were not only trespassing on our turf, but they were also out to kill me and capture you."

"Capture me? Why on earth would the-" She was cut off.

"Because you are a woman!" He was flustered by her blatant ignorance or self denial. "I may not know how modern society views women now, but here... you would be seen as a very rare commodity and I'm sorry to say this, but they probably would have taken real advantage of you."

She went silent and mulled over what he said. If it was true that she was only seen by a commodity by those goons, then she was really glad that Arc had gotten to her before they could. She was terrified by the idea of what they may have done to her if she was captured.

Arc didn't say another word on the subject after that and walked a little faster. There was a rocky cliff face he knew about fifteen miles or so up the beachfront that he wanted to reach before nightfall. The problem was there were a few major obstacles in between them and that location. Scouting ahead of them, Arc climbed a small sandbar to get a good view of the land. A few moments had passed before he put his spear out, making Kylie bring Roach to a halt.

"What's wrong?"

"There's a river up ahead." Arc sighed as she had Roach stop next to him.

"So can't we go around the river?" she asked. "There has to be a sandbar or something we can ford the river at."

"It doesn't get shallow enough to… at least not until we get really deep inland and the farther inland we go, the bigger the animals that want to eat you are. " He pressed on and went to check the shore for predators. "We are going to have to cross it whether we like it or not."

" Arc…"

"Not now Kylie… I'm thinking." He stopped her.

"Arc!" She jumped off her mount and punched him on the shoulder. "Look over there." She pointed towards the mouth of the river where it spilled into the vast blue ocean.

Arc looked in the direction she pointed at and saw a small wooden hut sitting there. Next to the hut was a small square raft with a single white sail just bobbing in the water.

"That wasn't here before…" He approached the house with his spear at the ready.

Kylie joined him, her bone club raised over her glistening burnt brownish red hair. As they continued their cautious approach there was a small shift in the wind currents that changed the whole situation for them. The pungent and gut wrenching scent of decay wafted along the breeze as it shifted from blowing south to north, sifting its way through the nooks and crevices of the shack. Recognizing the smell almost immediately, Gears hissed and chattered before charging around the corner of the shack.

"Gears! Stand down!" Arc chased after him.

Rounding the corner, or what was left of it, Arc and Kylie beheld what was the scene of what appeared to be a complete slaughter. There was a massive hole blown in the side of the ramshackled structure and the interior of the house was coated in a thick layer of blood belonging to both animal and people alike. Bones and rotting pieces of flesh were also scattered about showing that scavengers have since been here to feast on whatever was left over.

"What… happened here?" Arc entered the remains of the abode, covering his nose with the collar of his shirt.

"Could it have been the raiders?" Kylie's voice was muffled by her shirt. "This could have been another attack."

"Not likely…" He pointed at the floor of the shack with his spear, making a big emphasis on the claw marks that marred the floor. "Something moved in here and found these guys to be quite delicious."

Arc was right. The floor of the hut was littered with long deep claw marks that all went in one direction. It appeared that some large carnivore was trying to reach in here and get these deceased survivors, but she had no idea what sort of animal was that big or that strong to do this sort of damage. Looking around a bit more, Kylie found something embedded in the wood of a chest towards the back of the shack. Using the flint knife that Arc had given her, she pried the object out of the wood and found that it was a long crocodilian like tooth.

"Well… whatever did this, left us a nice clue on what it is." She handed the tooth to Arc. "Must have been a really big crocodile."

"The Sarcosuchus on the island are too small to have teeth like this." He looked around and cracked open one of the crates and checked its contents "I have a hunch on what this animal is, but I need to go get something from Roach"

Arc ran out and scurried up Roach's side despite the animal' obvious displeasure at his approach. He dug around in the crate that was strapped between Roaches plates and pulled out a leather bound book with old yellowed paper for its contents. Smiling devilishly he flipped through the pages and showed Kylie a sketch of a monstrous carnivore decorated with a dorsal sail that went from the base of its neck to the base of its tail. The issue Kylie was having with the sketch was that it was on all fours like a crocodile or herbivorous dinosaur.

"Say hello to Spinosaurus." Arc shivered at the idea of one of them being in the area.

"Arc… I know I'm no dinosaur expert, but Spinosaurus doesn't walk on all fours like that."

"No shit sherlock… and Dilophosaurs aren't supposed to be able to spit venom or have frills. The animals that populate this island are subspecies of the animals we grew up knowing." He pointed at Gears and Mavis. "The dinosaur you are thinking of is Spinosaurus Aegyptiacus. This here is Spinosaurus Aquareliga. A quadrupedal predator that makes its home in the rivers and lakes of the island."

"Then what the hell is one doing near the ocean?"

"Probably taking advantage of an untapped food source. The waters around here are full of fish." Arc went back in the remains of the shack and rummaged through the crates that were left behind.

It only took him a few minutes before he came out empty handed, finding nothing for immediate use. He then picked up his spear and walked over to the raft that was sitting next to the house. Jumping around on the deck, Arc tested its strength to see if it would be strong enough to hold their weight as they crossed the river.

"Well?"

"It will hold us and the Dilophosaurs, but Roach is going to have to swim." Arc sighed. "I just hope that the fish are not hungry."

"Are you referring to the Megapiranha?"

"Not only those little anklebiters, but there are Megalodons, Manta Rays, and other nasty critters swimming around down there. Not to mention that Spinosaurus that's skulking about."

With the reminder of the Spinosaurus hanging above them, Arc and Kylie moved quickly to get Gears and Mavis on the raft and tied Roach's makeshift reins to the timbers. Kylie then swatted Roach on the hindquarters with a palm branch, goading him to wade out into the water while pulling the raft behind him. With every step he took, Roach soon found himself neck deep in water before walking off a sandy shelf. He plunged his head below the surface for a moment or two before slowly paddling towards the safety of the opposite shore.

"Come on Roach." Kylie spurred him with the branch. "You can do it."

The Stegosaur snorted and started swimming a little faster, creating small waves in the water that rippled outwards in a very loose V formation. As Roach swam, Arc couldn't help but feel that they were being watched. Looking behind the raft, he saw a single dorsal sail breach the surface for a moment before diving back down. Thinking that it was the Spinosaurus, Arc stood up and jabbed his spear at the water.

"We're being followed."

"What is it!" Kylie got up as well.

"Not sure…" He pulled his spear out and wait for a sign of movement. "What are you doing?! Go steer Roach or the poor guy will have us floating here like a couple of Dodos." He shooed her away while keeping a sharp eye out.

Several seconds passed before not just one, but three dorsal fin breached the surface and beelined straight for them. Just before the three dorsal fins got close, they vanished beneath the surface again. Just when Arc had thought it was finally over with, three small dolphin like animals jumped out of the water directly behind the raft with a series of squeaks and clicks.

"Oh thank goodness."Arc breathed a sigh of relief. "It's just a few Ichthyosaurs."

"Awww. They're so cute!" Kylie squealed with excitement.

"Besides the Coelacanths, these little buggers are the safest things in the sea. Even the turtles can have a nasty attitude if you're not careful."

The three dolphin like reptiles poked their heads out of the water again and stared at them as Roach continued to swim across the channel. After another five minutes or so, the massive Stegosaurus hauled himself on shore along with the raft he towed. Exhausted from the effort, he settled down and wrapped his tail around himself to rest for a few minutes.

"Good boy." Both Arc and Kylie pat his side as they walked by him.

Roach merely rolled his eyes and dozed off while the two figured out what was next for them. While they crossed the first obstacle with relative ease, there were still numerous more challenges for them to overcome. Not only was the land itself out to kill them, but the weather around Ark was more unpredictable than a squirrel hopped up on caffeine and placed in a hall of mirrors. Sooner or later something was going to break and the two could only hope that it wasn't one of them.

"We'll give Roach a few minutes to nap and then we will head out again." Arc plunked down on the raft and pet Mavis who was still confined to her sled. "I know we are pushing him, but we need to keep moving and… he could use the exercise since he is so fat." Arc chuckled as he continued to pet Mavis

The little Dilophosaurus clicked and chattered as his hands caressed her lower jaw and scratched her behind the frills. Gears joined in on the action and wagged his tail in delight as Arc also scratched him behind the frills as well.

"Oh come on… Roach isn't fat, he's huggable." She hugged him around the neck as he dozed away. "But I agree that we need to get moving. The longer we stay put, the more likely hunters will pick up on us."

They waited around for ten minutes before waking Roach back up. The Stegosaurus huffed and grumped as he got his stocky legs underneath him, but complied reasonably well. His plates rattled as he shook his massive frame, wicking away any excess water and getting most the sand off from around his girth ropes.

Once Kylie was situated on his back, she spurred him forward while Arc continued to walk with Gears and keep a watchful eye on Mavis. He could only hope that her leg would heal up alright or he would definitely be forced to put her down.

As the group pressed on, a low hiss came from the channel they had just crossed. A long crocodile like head adorned with a pair of golden orbs for eyes jutted from the surface and watched them. The creature was a mixture of orange and bronze in color and had a massive sail along the center of its back.

While keeping a watchful eye on Arc, Kylie, and their dinosaurs, the creature lifted its head from the water revealing a plump Ichthyosaurus dangling from its jaws. With a flick of its head, the water beast positioned the Ichthyosaurus head down in its mouth and swallowed it whole. Unsatiated, the creature plunged back below the surface and slowly snaked its way up the coast, intent on following a much bigger prey item.

* * *

The rains continued to press down as the hours wore on, but there was about to be another massive shift in the weather. Storm clouds gathered from the south and pressed their way north as Arc and Kylie continued to trek across the beach. Every so often a bolt of lightning would crack in the distance and the sea was sloshing farther up on shore. Even the wind itself seemed angry, blowing every which way and ripping the leaves off every palm tree that was left exposed by the beachfront.

"Gah! I can't even see my own hand in front of me. Let alone where the hell we are going." The falling rain was now so thick that it created a thick haze on the beach that reduced the visibility to nothing but shadows.

"We need to find shelter! Now!" Kylie tried to get her hair out of her face.

Arc couldn't agree more, but there was an issue. The rain was so thick that there was no way that they could see where a cave was and they dared not enter the forest. They knew that just because they couldn't see didn't mean that it was the same for every animal on the island. Raptors in particular loved this kind of weather because it gave them a strategic advantage when hunting.

"We need to keep moving forward! The weather is too treacherous to hunker down here." Arc removed his cloth undershirt and covered his face from the elements.

The two continued to press on despite the bad weather knowing that while it was dangerous to keep moving, it was a death wish to stay put. Mavis and Gears chattered in fear as the sound of branches breaking resounded in the forests and many animals fled from the beaches to higher ground. The waves were now pressing deeper into the shoreline, sloshing up past Arc's feet and getting them even more soaked than they already were.

It was utter misery and things were about to get even worse for them. Off in the distance a massive shadow loomed upon them followed by the sound of thunder hitting the sand beneath them. The shadow slowly separated into a mass of smaller ones, revealing themselves to be a panicked herd of Parasaurolophus hauling ass out of the area as if the devil itself was chasing them.

Caught off guard by the stampede, Arc grabbed Gears around his midsection and jumped behind Roach, using the Stegosaurus as a meat shield so he didn't get trampled. As Roach continued forward, the panicked herd split and ran past him like water moving around a rock until they all passed and disappeared off into the distance.

"What's got them spooked?" Arc crawled out from underneath Roach and put Gears down.

"Oh I don't know… Maybe it's this goddamn fucking storm from hell!" Kylie berated Arc for his seemingly blatant ignorance.

"I wish it was that easy…. The herds of Parasaurolophus are semiaquatic and rather fond of water…" Arc trailed off as another pair of thundering footsteps approached.

Looking to the source of the noise, the group came face to face with a pair of bipedal dinosaurs that seemingly had a nasty attitude about them. Their blunt heads were adorned with two blunt bull like horns and long slender teeth. Their arms were hilariously short, only being as long as Arc's forearms but their long strong legs were no laughing matter. The larger of the two hunters gave a bellowing roar as they sized up their new opponents.

"Carnotaurus… of course!" Arc rolled his eyes and sighed.

Roach balked at the Carnotaurs and took several steps to the side before swinging his tail wildly. Kylie tried to get him back under control, but the panicked Stegosaurus wasn't having any of it. Slowly the two hunters started to circle Roach, hoping to make an easy meal out of him and the snack on his back.

The smaller Carnotaur, presumably male howled in pain and turned to find Arc jabbing him with his spear. Turning to face the smaller opponent, the male left his mate to fight Roach on her own.

"Arc! What do I do?" Kylie squealed in fear.

"Easy!" Arc winced as he rolled to dodge the charging male, his arm still bothering him. "Fight back and kill the bitch!"

"You want Roach and I to fight this monster?! This is a rather unfair fight don't you think?!" Kylie held on as Roach battled with the Carnotaurus on his own.

"You're right… the Carnotaurus doesn't stand a chance!" Arc and Gears took off running with the male chasing him around the beachfront.

Understanding that she was now on her own, Kylie jumped off Roach and cut the rope that held the sled that Mavis was on, effectively pulling her out of harm's way. Once Mavis was out of the way, Kylie turned to face the female Carnotaurus who was currently being held back by Roach. His mighty tail swinging every time the predator snapped at him.

"Let's do this!" She pulled her club off her belt and hefted it in her hand.

Screaming wildly, Kylie charged at the Carnotaurus, driving the terrorbird beak into the calf of the animal. She stumbled back from the attack and snapped at Kylie who danced back to avoid being eaten. The rain made the footing treacherous for both sides, but Roach's stocky legs made it easier for him to keep his feet underneath him. While Kylie had the female hunter distracted, Roach swung his tail, driving three of his thagomizers into the ribcage of their assailant.

Roaring in pain as blood trailed from the three puncture wounds, the Carnotaurus reeled around and bit down on one of Roach's back plates. Pulling with all her might, the female pulled Roach off balance and he toppled over with a splash of sand and water.

"I'm coming Roach!" Kylie ran back into the fight head on.

The female Carnotaurus loomed over Roach, and threatened to kill him with a threatening hiss. Just as she was about to finish him with a bite to the throat, Kylie jumped over Roach's neck and brought her club down on the Carnotaur's head with a bellowing war cry. With a resounding crack, the skull of the female Carnotaurus buckled under the force of the blow and the animal fell to the ground dead without another sound. Her foot twitched several times before laying completely still. Blood trickled from the wounds on her side and from her head and mixed with the water to make a vile soup of watered down red.

Roach slowly got to his feet, a chunk of one of his back plates missing where the Carnotaurus bit him. While Kylie was relieved that her mount was unharmed, they couldn't stop to rest. A few meters away Arc scuffled with the male, dodging every which way while prodding the male with his spear. Lightning cracked in the background, giving both the combatants a ghostly white outline and the angry sea started to encroach even more on the shore.

Arc held his injured arm, feeling the sharp pain the wolf bite left every time he swung at the male Carnotaur. Feeling the ocean beneath him, Arc watched as wave upon wave splashed over their feet, pulling the sand out from underneath their toes. The Carnotaur took several steps forward, but it was no longer Arc's only concern… or the primary one for that matter. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a massive curved sail jutting from the surface of the water slithering slowly up to the shore.

"Watch out!" Kylie saw the sail as well, having a feeling that she knew what was about to happen.

At the last moment, Arc dropped to his belly as a massive orange and bronze Spinosaurus burst forth from the water and charged towards Arc. The thing was that the creature wasn't interested in him. Lunging forward, the Spinosaurus snapped its jaws at the Carnotaurus, sinking its fish hook like teeth into the leg of the animal. The Carnotaurus squealed in pain and tried to pull its leg free from the Spinosaur's deathgrip. Pulling with all his might and despite his best efforts, the helpless animal was dragged to a watery grave at the claws of the Spinosaurus. As the predator left with its prey in tow, the only thing that could be seen was the sail of the animal vanish below the surface of the ocean.

Arc just laid there in the water despite the salt making his wounds burn and itch. He was relieved that the mayhem of the attacks were finally over and perhaps they could get some well deserved rest. The storm started to dissipate, allowing Arc and Kylie to see an overhang that could shelter them for the storm until it moves on.

"Okay… I give." Arc got up and wiped the sand off his back.

After cleaning himself off as best he could, Arc went and dragged Mavis under the overhang and whistled for Gears. The little Dilophosaurus chattered and clicked, nuzzling up next to his mate as they rested together. Kylie was on the other side, leaning against Roach's belly as she wiped Carnotaurus blood off her weapon.

"What happened to the female?" Arc sat down next to her. "I was so caught up in fighting the male I lost track of what was going on."

Kylie pointed to a Carnotaurus carcass that was still spilling blood onto the sand. "Suffering from a splitting headache." She then continued cleaning her weapon.

Arc looked, rather dumbfounded that the big predator was dead, but remained silent as he slowly drifted to sleep. He was exhausted and wanted nothing more than to rest, listening to the musical tune of rain hitting sand as his eyelids grew heavy. Kylie also drifted off as well and there was soon nothing but the sounds of rain and rhythmic snoring.

* * *

 **Arc and Kylie sure know how to find trouble... Let's hope they can make it to the tribe before it gets any worse... I am also taking tame suggestions at this point in time.**

 *****As always, Please REVIEW. Any feedback is very helpful, appreciated, and valuable.**

 *****Seriously! The only way that I can improve or hear your thoughts on my story is if you tell me as a community. LET ME KNOW!**

 **If you want me to review a story you have written before you review mine, tell me!**

 **Got a crazy idea... I love crazy! Let me know.**

 **Want to collaborate on a chapter... Rock on!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Happy 4th of July! As always... Please read and enjoy!~ Scriffignano**

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

"Here." Arc handed Kylie a slab of cooked meat skewered on a stick.

It's been three days since the rains had started and because of the ferocity of the storm, Arc and Kylie have been unable to make any progress towards their destination. What's worse was that their food supply is running dangerously low since they have had to stay put.

Most of the meat from the wolf had rotted away because of the heat despite the rain and the deceased Carnotaurus that Kylie lobotomized was being picked clean by numerous scavengers including an aggressive pack of Compsognathus and a few rogue Utahraptors that rather have the easy meal than fight Arc, Kylie, and their dinosaurs. It was so bad that the bones even had scrape marks from dinosaurs chewing on them.

"I can't believe our luck… It seems mother nature is out to be evil to us." Kylie sighed as she walked to the very edge of the overhang where the rain curtained around them.

"Well… at least we have a few things going for us. Mavis is back on her feet and we have enough water to last us for a while." Arc smiled as he watched Mavis trot around the campfire with Gears.

While her wound healed up nicely, Mavis now had a white bite shaped scar on her leg as a memento of that vicious assault. It was a nasty reminder, but the two were more relieved than anything that she healed and was now able to stand for herself without being dragged around on a makeshift sled.

"So what are we going to do about our food situation?" Arc threw another stick on the fire. "Roach is fine since he doesn't mind the rain as much and seems content feasting on the bushes over there." Arc pointed to the Stegosaurus as he stuffed his face with fern leaves.

"Well… we should probably go hunt or fish." She started clicking a couple of rocks together, whittling them down to sharp point like she has seen Arc do. "I know the weather is going to impede our travelling, but we either suck it up and keep moving, or stay here and risk starving. Which do you want?"

Taken by surprise with Kylie's rather harsh ultimatum, Arc decided to throw any remaining caution he had aside and started packing up. Whatever wasn't essential to keeping them alive was tossed aside in hopes that it could be replaced once they warned the Thunderhoof Traders. Arc even thought about discarding the wolf pelt, only keeping it because it was to be a gift for an old friend that helped him in his time of need.

Once Kylie was up on Roach's back and his reins were in hand, they set off into the pouring rain, westward bound towards what Arc called Craggs Island. The terrain was even more treacherous than before from thee constant downpour of water eroding away the sands.

"Make sure to watch your step." Arc tried his best to lead Kylie and Roach through the minefield of erosion and sinkholes. "One wrong step and Roach could be done for."

"Well if that happens then I'll just have to blame you for it." She smiled, making a crude joke out of the matter.

Arc simply rolled his eyes as water continued to splash his face. Even though he wasn't in the mood for jokes, he humored her to keep their misery to a dull roar

On the upside if all this mayhem the storm threw at the island, the waves crashing on shore gave the group a huge piece of the seas hidden bounty for a Coelacanth as long as Arc was tall washed up on shore and was trying to flop back out into open waters. Unwilling to let the fish go, Arc drove his spear into the eye socket and killed it before the slippery meal could escape.

"Sorry buddy…" Arc thanked the fish as he pulled his spear out and drew his knife.

The rain made cleaning the fish a little easier due to the fact that it washed the meat as he sliced chunks of it off and put them in a leather bag. With their meat reserves restored, Arc and Kylie continued their trek with lifted spirits. The rain even started to slow, the clouds giving way to rays of sunlight that dotted the landscape.

"Careful!" Arc guided Kylie and Roach around a budding sinkhole that swallowed the sands around it. "No telling how big this one will get so I suggest you get Roach to move a little faster."

Heeding his advice, Kylie reached around Roach's back plates and swatted his flanks with a willow wand she made while they were trapped under the rocky outcrop. She did it twice more, spurring him into a faster walk as they made their way around the potential threat.

There were more such sinkholes popping up on the beachfront, forcing the group to continue their trek in the shallow waters where the sand was held down by the weight of the water. However… with a new terrain to walk on came new threats. While they were not outright dangerous, stepping on one of the many Trilobites the inhabited the shores was not exactly a picnic. Their hardened carapace was decorated with sharp spikes that could easily skewer a human's foot if they were not careful.

"How much further to where the Thunderhoof Traders are based at?"

"I don't know… They may not be in the same spot that they were in when I left." Arc poked his spear in the sand, looking for anything that might be hiding there.

"What do you mean by that. It's not like the entire tribe just picked up their home base and moved on." Kylie was confused by his statement. "That would take a lot of manpower wouldn't it?"

"I guess you're right…" Arc rolled his eyes and kept sifting through the sand.

Ripples started pulsing on the shoreline and it wasn't from Arc or Roach. The spread outwards in a wide circle and were followed by very slow thundering footsteps. The trees began to topple over and resounding bellows much deeper than that of a Parasaurolophus echoed across the landscape.

"What's that sound?"

"That… is the sound of one of Ark's mega beasts locked in combat."Arc smiled, his ice blue eyes glistening with excitement. "We are in for a magnificent display of raw power."

Two large long necked beasts crashed out on the sandy shore, bellowing and thrashing about all the while. After gaining a bit of space between them, the two cracked their tails like bullwhips and charged at each other. The forces involved in their exchanging of blows that the earth beneath their feet trembled.

"Arc… look!" Kylie pointed as four more adults lumbered out of the forest along with a juvenile.

"May the clash of titans begin! There is nothing more enjoyable than watching a pair of Brontosaurus duking it out for mating rights." Arc cheered the two on.

"Don't you mean Apatosaurus?"

"Nope. These are Brontosaurs… according to the book." He tossed her the leather bound journal he showed her earlier. "Page twenty one."

Sure enough… when she flipped to page twenty one in the book there was a picture of a sauropod much like the two fighting in front of them. Next to the picture was the name Brontosaurus Lazarus in bold black ink.

Looking up from the book, Kylie watched as the two circled each other, bringing their necks down on the shoulders of the other. It was a mere display of power, trying to force submission on the other without causing injury, but the forces involved were still outstanding to watch. After making four passes around each other the two decided to take the fight to the next step. Rearing up on their hind legs the two crashed into each other using their shoulders like battering rams. They did it once more, but something went horribly wrong the second time the two crashed into each other. With a loud crack, the smaller of the two Brontosaurs made what almost sounded like a yelp before toppling over. He laid on the ground and flailed his legs wildly unable to right himself.

"What power!" Kylie held her mouth slightly agape while sitting on Roach.

The victorious bull Brontosaurus snorted with triumph before lumbering towards his females seemed to accept him as their new herd leader, rubbing the length of their bodies against him while making low bleating noises. The bull acknowledged them and made a low rumble before rubbing his head against the juvenile. With the herd's full acceptance behind him, he pushed them back towards the forest and leaving the injured challenger to lay in the sand where he fell.

The losing male held his front leg at an awkward angle, showing that his shoulder was most likely broken, if not shattered in the conflict. He tried several times to get back up, but any time he put pressure on that leg he would topple back over.

"Poor guy…" Arc sighed and ran his hair through his thick blonde hair. "I guess we should get moving."

"We're not going to just leave him there are we?" Kylie was astonished by his seemingly lack of sympathy.

"What can we do to help him? I know it's cruel, but a broken leg for a Brontosaurus is a death sentence... " Arc covered his eyes to avoid looking at the fallen beast. "He probably won't last the night."

The two started to skirt their way around the massive beast, but had to stop when he wouldn't give up thrashing his tail wildly. While it pained him to see the Brontosaurus like this, Arc knew that if he didn't finish the job the animal could put the whole group in grave danger.

Running back around to the Brontosaur's head, Arc clambered up on the creature's neck and laid down right behind the base of the creature's head where his neck began.

"Easy boy… Easy." Arc whispered to the fallen animal as he angled his spear

Moving swiftly, Arc drove the shaft of his weapon deep into the Brontosaur's soft neck, slicing through the jugular and windpipe, causing a massive geyser of blood. It was grisly to watch, but the animal gave no struggle and his suffering ended almost as quickly as it began. The job left Arc covered in blood, but before he left as a final display of respect he closed the eyelid of the Brontosaurus.

"Rest easy… you put up a brave fight." Arc said the words solemnly as he rejoined Kylie.

She said nothing as he passed and resumed the lead of their trek, knowing full well that while it was cruel, what Arc did to end the Brontosaur's misery was the best thing he could have done for the helpless beast. Gears and Mavis chattered to each other, giving Kylie the pleasure of imagining the small talk the two scaled hunters were having amongst themselves.

* * *

With thunderous footsteps a huge long necked mammal guided by its rider walked passed a chitin armored Allosaurus rider who looked over the southern hillside as a bellowing yelp cried out over the landscape. Reigning his beast to a halt along with the rest of the caravan that followed him, he pulled out his spyglass and surveyed the surroundings.

At first he saw nothing, but then he saw as a herd of Brontosaurus lumbered back into the forest leaving a fallen member on the beach to die. Thinking that all was normal, he was about to put his spyglass away when he spotted a group of figures scurrying around the fallen animal. The rider continued to watch with renewed interest as one of the figures, a human ran around and stuck what looked to be a spear deep in the animal's throat, killing it quickly. He then watched as he rejoined the rest of his group and continued heading in their general direction along the coast.

"Hyah!' He slammed his spyglass shut and spurred his mount to turn around. "Rion! Get me Rion Nulltusk!"

Another rider, mounted aboard a snow white bear approached. Her set of chitin armor clacked together with each heavy step the animal took. Once the two were face to face, the bear rider gave a solid salute.

"Rion. Take a party and meet our new guests." The Allosaurus rider instructed. " Take only three and bring them back alive."

Rion gave another solid salute and spurred her baer towards the back of the caravan, shouting names all the while. The Allosaurus rider merely shook his head and went back towards the front of the caravan.

"It seems… the prodigal son returns."

* * *

Night fell on Arc and Kylie as they began to wrap up and find a place to shelter for the night. Knowing what could be lurking out there, the two decided to stop and make camp on the edge of a cliff face high above the beach. It was a well protected spot surrounded by tall rocks and the sound of rolling waves behind them. Small flocks of Dodos could be heard chattering and squawking amongst themselves as they waddled around in the underbrush.

The two watched as the sun set with only the glow of a small campfire to comfort them from the soon to be clutches of the moonless night. Winds whispered in their ears, but other than that it was the most comfortable night they have had since their hut burned down.

"So... " Kylie threw a stick in the fire. "Are you excited to see your tribe after so long?"

Arc looked up from his intense staring contest with Gears and Mavis while giving a crooked smile. "Excited to see them… Yes. but I'm not excited to tell them the nature of my visit." he sighed.

"I'm guessing they don't react the best to situations like this." She thought about some of the outcomes.

"Kylie… we may be looking at one of the worst conflicts the Ark has ever seen in a long time." He said flatly. "No matter which way we look at this, Edward's advisors are going to see this as an act of war and will want to spill blood as fast as the words fall out of their mouth."

"We are going to need to be discreet then." Kylie resolved. "Otherwise this is going to blow up in our faces faster than we can say oops." She then looked behind her to see Roach curled up in a tight ball, sleeping. "Perhaps you should do the talking when we get there."

"No… It's going to take two of us to explain this properly. You saw the bones littered around that abandoned camp just as well as I did." Arc pointed at her. "Just know that you will learn and hear things that will change your view of me…"

"What do you mean?"

"Well… let's say that there are details I have withheld or warped." He dipped his head. "Just know that I only did it to protect myself… not to hurt you."

"Protect yourself? From me?" Kylie looked astonished when she got a partially affirmative nod from Arc. "Why? What on earth could I do to you?"

Arc was just about to answer when a third party spoke out on his behalf. "You could have told us." Three buff men clad in hide armor from head to toe stepped out of the darkness with their weapons drawn. "Go ahead. Keep going with what you were going to say."

Arc slowly got to his feet and pulled his spear from the earth. "You got a lot of nerve coming this deep into our turf Titans. I suggest you get lost before-."

"Before what?!" One of the three stepped forward and pointed a tempered steel glaive at him. "What are you and the little wench going to do to us? You are outnumbered and outskilled." The man smiled. "Get me the girl" The glaive wielder shouted. "Lost Hobbit wants them both alive, but I want the girl unspoiled as well!" he smiled lustfully.

"Outnumbered… true." Arc nodded, but smiled evilly "But you guys are the ones that are outskilled." Arc whistled loudly, triggering both Gears and Mavis to spit their acid at the warriors.

The lowest ranking warrior who was holding a simple wooden club was struck with the acid and sent to the floor crying with pain while holding his face. Gears and Mavis rushed the man while Arc and Kylie rushed the other two raiders with brandished weapons.

The third raider, who sported a long handled pike charged at Kylie while making mock thrusts with his weapon. Spinning around, Kylie struck the side of the pike with her club creating a deafening ring that woke up Roach from his deep slumber.

All three of the raiders looked very surprised when Roach rose to his feet and bellowed at them. Due to the moon being absent this night, Roach looked like a textured rock up until that point and the raiders had no reason to think that they were in any real danger . They were under the assumption that Arc was the only one that had any real time with his weapon and that Kylie was nothing more than a pretty face.

They were only half right. Kylie was a pretty face… but a pretty face with a four ton armored beast at her side. Lashing out with his tail, Roach gored the pikeman in the calf and lifted him him up by only the muscle. Blood splashed the ground as the poor raider's calf split down the muscle line, but his screams were soon silenced when Roach stepped down on his chest with an unpleasant crunch.

While the pikeman was dispatched by Roach's bulky body, Gears and Mavis were still trying to take down the man they had blinded. He wasn't a particularly graceful fighter, but his weapon did hurt when it connected and kept the two hunters from getting a good grip on the man's throat.

"I'm coming you two. Hold on!" Kylie charged at the downed man with her club, but was parried on the downswing.

The raider got back to his feet and wiped away as much of the acid as he could. As he did, the skin around his eyes and the bridge of his nose started to peel, but his sight seemed to be still intact. He swung his club at her, striking her ribs, but not hard enough to break them. Buffeted by the strike, Kylie fell back and gasped for air. Her vision blurred, but it was clear that the raider was standing over her with his club raised.

Fearing that he was about to bash her skull in despite the first raider's orders, Arc threw his spear, impaling the assailant and pinning him to a nearby sapling.

"Either you are very brave… or very stupid to cast your weapon aside like that." The glaive wielder spun his weapon around. "Makes it all the easier to capture you."

"Who said that my spear is my only weapon?" Arc pulled his small hunting knife from its sheath. "Ready for round two."

The two were about to lunge at each other again when a deafening roar stopped everyone in their tracks. Looking around for the source of the roar, Arc and Kylie backed into each other and started to circle around. The roar echoed once more, but this time from a different part of the camp. Whatever the creature was, it was circling the camp just outside the light of the fire waiting to pounce on whoever strayed too far away.

The glaive wielder took several steps back, towards the edge of the fire's light and waited with his weapon at the ready. A stick snapped to his right drawing his immediate attention, but it was only a front. From behind him a mighty white Direbear lept from the darkness and pounced the poor raider. Pinned to the ground, the raider could only hold up his arms to defend himself from the hairy beast.

Arc didn't notice until now that the bear had a saddle on it, and in that saddle was a female warrior clad in full chitin armor. Three more riders astride a raptor, Kaprosuchus, and Sabertooth cat jumped into the camp as well and pinned both Arc and Kylie down. The man impaled on the spear was dispatched quickly with a crossbow bolt to the chest and both Gears and Mavis were pinned down by the third rider and his Kaprosuchus.

"What the hell are you three doing?!" The bear rider shouted at her underlings. "Get off them. Don't you know who that is your pinning down?"

The riders holding down Arc, Kylie and the two Dilophosaurs backed off and dismounted from their dinosaurs. One of them who was riding a black raptor with red feathers helped Arc to his feet and gave him a slap on the shoulder.

"Sorry about that sir." The leather clad rider dipped his head and returned to his raptor. "My apologies."

The rider astride the Sabertooth helped Kylie to her feet and gave a curt bow before returning to his feline. Still confused by what was going on, Kylie watched as Arc and the bear rider talked to each other before turning their attention to the glaive wielder still pinned beneath the animal's paw. She then remembered Roach and found him nearby, browsing on some low lying ferns with the corpse of the man he killed laying nearby. She walked over and pat Roach before scavenging the pike from the raider's corpse and tying it to the rest of the meager belongings they owned.

"So… who are you?" Arc pointed his spear at the man pinned down by the bear.

The raider merely spat at Arc and the bear rider before turning his head away.

"Come on Arc… you know that he isn't going to talk." The bear rider rolled her eyes. "He would rather die than talk."

"Well I don't plan on giving him that satisfaction Rion." Arc crossed his arms. "Bind him and throw him up on Roach, our Stegosaurus."

"Yes sir." Rion gave a proud salute before binding the raider with a length of rope.

With the help of one of the other riders, Arc and Rion hoisted the Titan tribe member up on Roach's back and tied him down to the Stegosaurus' plates. The man fought all the while, but he was situated all the same and was soon secured to where he couldn't move at all.

"I'm guessing you will be escorting us back?" Arc smiled at Rion.

"Yes sir. We've been instructed by Edward himself to get you back to the Thunderhoof traders." Rion jumped off Roach's back. "We leave at first light."

"No… we leave now." Arc picked up the glaive that the raider had used. "If Titans are coming this deep into our turf then things may be worse than I feared."

The riders looked at each other with grave expressions. Kylie was unaware of Arc's true position in the tribe, but it was obvious that he had an exceptional amount of influence amongst those that he interacted with. They all scrambled to get back on their animals and they soon started to convoy their way southwest towards Craggs Island.

With the help of Rion and her riders, their progress towards the tribe doubled over the night. Animals that would prey on them under their previous circumstances now avoid the group like the plague. By daybreak the island was in full view and they were about to make the cross over the narrow river that separated the island from the rest of the mainland.

"Hey Arc…. why do they call it Craggs Island?" Kylie questioned him as they crossed the river. "The only thing that separates this small mass from the mainland is this river."

"Well what do you call a small body of land that is separated from the mainland by water?" Arc smiled. "I know this isn't your typical island, but that's what this place has been called for as long as I can remember."

The group made it across the river with little trouble and were about to reunite with the the Thunderhoof Traders. Kylie was in awe with what she saw when they entered the camp. The entirety of the camp hugged a cliff on the southern edge of the island and even though she didn't want to believe it, the tribe was a mobile unit. Several large long necked mammals carried massive platforms on their back that were holding up structures. Large hide tents with carts and wagons parked next to them dotted the rest of the camp and at the very back was a solid stone castle hanging off the edge of the cliff.

There were about thirty visible men and women moving about the camp, all clad in armor of different types and using dinosaurs ranging from docile Parasaurolophus to armored Ankylosaurs to ravenous bull headed Carnotaurus. It was an incredible sight to behold, but there wasn't much time for them to sight see.

Arc urged Kylie towards the castle and handed Roach's makeshift reins to a stable hand who promised to take good care of him. Rion took the distinct pleasure of carrying their guest into the castle and took him to an undisclosed location for possible interrogation.

"This place is fantastic!" Kylie looked around the interior of the castle in awe. "No wonder you speak so highly of them."

"The building just means they know how to makes stuff. Wait til you meet the people." Arc smiled as he pushed open a set of wooden doors and walked into what appeared to be a war room.

There were racks filled with assorted weapons that lined the walls, a massive map of the Ark that hung behind a desk, and a table covered with maps and reports. Three other men were in the room, one of which was sitting behind the desk with his hands clasped together. Silence permeated the room as Arc and the men locked eyes, deep scowls masking any feelings the men had towards Arc.

"Arc Sabor…" The seated man's tone was flat and serious. "How the hell have you been buddy!" He jumped out of his chair and greeted Arc like he was a long lost friend.

"Edward the Xperthunter!" Arc pulled him into a rough embrace. "It's been a long time my friend. Too long actually."

"No kidding…" Edward sat back down and looked at the other men that stood amongst them. "So how have things been? I trust you have been well on the eastern front."

Arc went quiet and walked towards the back of the room to shut the door. He returned with a deep scowl and eyed up the members of the room, terrified to deliver the information he had for them.

"Well… I wish things did go well on the eastern front." Arc sighed. "But… I hate to inform the members of the tribe council that I, Arc Sabor failed the Thunderhoof Traders in keeping the Titans from ravaging our home."

"Details man!" One of the advisors slammed his fist on the table. "What sort of atrocities did those bastards commit this time?"

"Countless ones I'm afraid…. The latest being that they set everything east of Weathertop ablaze." Arc sighed and sat down at the table covered in maps. "The entire ecosystem in that area has been reduced to nothing."

"Not only that, we found the remains of their poaching camps in the same area. Scores of animals both great and small have been slaughtered or captured." Kylie added in, getting scoffs from the members of the council.

"Arc… what is the meaning of bringing this common girl to a tribe meeting?" A councilman wearing a cloth tunic and a dagger at his side pointed at Kylie and spoke with a harsh tone. "Do we let anyone roam into this room nowadays?"

"This… common girl… is the only reason I made it back Sir Jonathan Blackfry." Arc snapped at him. "And I council that you keep your yap shut before you speak to me that way again."

"Women have no place here!" Sir Jonathan protested. "It's unnatural."

"Maybe for one who was a knight born in the Middle Ages, but I assure you that Kylie is more valuable to me than you are at the moment." Arc pointed his new glaive at the man. "Talk about her that way again, and you will be shoveling dino shit for a week and she will have your place in the council."

Sir Blackfry scoffed and kept his mouth shut after that. He still kept a sharp eye on Kylie though and ran his fingers through a wiry mustache that adorned his scarred face.

"How many days ago did the Titans attack you in this manner." Edward stepped in to stop Arc from tearing the knight to shreds.

"Four or five days ago… lost track after we had to abandon the hut and got caught up in that last rainstorm."

"It was burned down before we could make it back… the only things we own now are what's found on Roach's back." Kylie added to Arc's statement.

"It took you guys this long to get here?" Another member of the council spoke. "What the hell happened out there that took you five days?"

He was a great burly old fellow with a thick brown beard and in full steel armor. On his back was not one, but two great swords and he had an eyepatch covering his right eye. Arc knew the man well enough and chose him to be the tribes master of arms due to being a war veteran from World War II. His name was Clif Hiker and probably the only person he trusted as much as Edward or Kylie.

"Aye it did… we traveled as fast as the weather and Roach allowed us to, but there were other obstacles we had to face. Carnotaurus attacks, an ocean going Spinosaurus, and the threat of sinkholes to name a few."

"What of Sylph?" Edward inquired with curiosity. "That raptor was a tried and true partner of yours for a long time while you were away. He could have gotten you here swiftly."

"You mean… Harley and Sasha didn't tell you what happened?" Arc was quite shocked. "Sylph died from swamp fever a year ago after being bitten by a diseased leech. I couldn't make the antidote quick enough to save him."

"Oh…" Edward went quiet. "I'm sorry man. Sylph was like a best friend to you wasn't he."

While the two caught up and exchanged details of what happened while Arc was away, Kylie was still stuck on what he said about this unknown raptor he spoke of. She also couldn't get over the fact that Arc had been on this island for over a year. With every passing minute, the questions she had about him grew faster than they were answered, leaving a bit of doubt about who she thought he was.

"Look… the fact still remains that we were openly attacked by the Titans. They blatantly destroy our home and trespass like they own these lands." Sir Blackfry interrupted them again. "And you two want to sit here like a bunch of old crones swapping stories of old?"

"Blackfry! Interrupt us again and I swear I will deck you right here." Edward stood up and slammed his fist on the desk. "Arc and Kylie have been through hell to get here and they deserve rest. After that... only then will we decide what to do about the Titans."

The knight started to protest when Arc silenced him with one hand.

"Oh… shut up you moron." Arc glared. "You may have forgotten in my absence, but I am also a chieftain of the Thunderhoof Tribe. Do fucking well to remember that."

The room went dead silent as Arc proclaimed that hidden detail. Kylie especially stared at him with a slack jaw, trying to comprehend the true nature of the friendly neighborhood survivor that she thought he was since the day she washed ashore. At this point… anything was possible and she could only wonder what was in store for her.

* * *

 **I'm still taking tame suggestions for some of my characters. Even if they have a tame already I will still take suggestions for them.**

 *****As always, Please REVIEW. Any feedback is very helpful, appreciated, and valuable.**

 *****Seriously! The only way that I can improve or hear your thoughts on my story is if you tell me as a community. LET ME KNOW!**

 **If you want me to review a story you have written before you review mine, tell me!**

 **Got a crazy idea... I love crazy! Let me know.**

 **Want to collaborate on a chapter... Rock on**


	5. Chapter 5

**As always... Please read and enjoy~ Scriffignan** **o**

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

"Hold on…" Kylie finally gained some of her composure. "You're the chief of the Thunderhoof Traders?!"

Arc just looked at her like it was supposedly common knowledge and she should just roll with the fact. The other members of the council also looked at her with similar expressions, completely unfazed by what was just said.

"But if you're the chief then what the hell were you doing way out east on your own? Shouldn't you have been here running the show with Edward?" She continued to babble questions.

"Edward and I work as a team. I usually spend my time out in the field and he runs the show back here. It's quite strategic if you really think about it." Arc smiled and examined the sharp end of his weapon.

"If anything were to happen to one of us, it wouldn't cripple the entire tribe." Edward added. "Much like a hydra… if you cut off one head, the rest will be ready to bite you on the ass."

"Exactly." Arc added. "Also I am not really a people person…"

"More of one than Blackfry is." Edward laughed at his officer's expense. "But enough of this idle banter… Come! Let's feast and celebrate the return of our chief!"

Edward proudly got up and guided everyone out of the room. Just before Sir Blackfry left, he casted a nasty glare at Kylie sending shivers up her spine. She had no clue what she did to set him off, but she was sure that she didn't like him in the least bit. He was too proud for his own good and seemed to strut around like a peacock instead of being a chivalrous knight.

"Well… he hates me." Kylie walked in front of Arc as they followed Edward and his two advisors.

"He just comes from a time when women didn't have much power… you can't exactly expect him to change his ways." Arc rolled his eyes.

"Oh. now you're defending him now? I thought you were on my side."

"No… Just stating the facts. He's from a time of knights and kings and thinks poorly of common folk. Damn near castrated him for striking one of the traders after they bumped into him with a cart full of vegetables." Arc shut the main gate behind him after they were outside. "Quite honestly… I think he hates me as well."

"Then why does he hold any real power in the tribe?"

"Because he's good at what he does." Arc held back from the main group. "He may not be the best apple, but he certainly earned his title after all he has done for our tribe."

In the clearing that made up the main courtyard for the tribe was a long table made up of several smaller tables that the tribes members used for their own endeavors. On the table were platters upon platters of savory fruits, vegetables and meats cooked to perfection. Some of the meat based dishes were roasted and glazed with honey while some of the fruit and vegetable plates were tossed into salads that would make even Roach drool with desire.

Arc and Edward took their respective places at the absolute center of the table on opposite sides. Sir Blackfry and Clif Hiker sat next to Edward while Kylie sat next to Arc. The rest of the tribe then sat as well and they began feasting on the many delicious island delicacies that laid before them.

Not even thinking about it, both Arc and Kylie dove straight into the food, famished for something more than just bland roasted meat on a stick and uncooked fruit. It was a welcome change for them and they even allowed Gears and Mavis to join in, throwing scraps of meat at them which they caught in mid air.

"So tell me… How have you been since I left Edward? Harley and Sasha would only tell me that you were doing well when I asked." Arc paused for a moment between bites. "The tribe looks smaller than I remember."

"Well… things haven't been easy for the last few months. The big predators in the area are getting bolder and attacking. We lost four good tribe members last week when Tyrannor attacked us by The Western Approach."

"The Western Approach? Are you sure that it was in fact Tyrannor? Last I saw him, he was holding dominion over Smugglers Pass with his mate." Arc seemed shocked. "I never thought he would migrate this far south."

"It was him alright, I saw that nice scar you left on him when he attacked us on that one scouting mission." Edward sighed. "He isn't doing well though… he was really thin, looked like he been burned by something, and his mate hasn't been seen in weeks."

"Wait…" Kylie jumped in. "Who's Tyrannor? Where is The Western Approach and Smugglers Pass."

Arc then remembered that Kylie was still knew and he had only told her what she needed to know at the time to survive. Now that they were within the relative safety of the tribe, Arc started to share what he knew about the island.

"Tyrannor is a Tyrannosaurus Dominum that ruled the northern part of the island with an iron bite." Arc then had Clif hand him a banana sized tooth that hung from around his neck. "He's attacked us on several occasions, and even killed a Tyrannosaurus named Reaver that we worked so hard to tame. That's how he got the name Tyrannor."

Kylie nodded and then inquired even further. "Edward said you left a scar on him… what did you do to him?"

"I was the one riding the Tyrannosaurus that he killed. It was a brutal fight, but somehow Tyrannor got the upper hand and delivered a fatal bite to the back of Reaver's neck." He handed her the tooth and continued his tale. "As the bite was delivered, I jumped off Snapper and slashing at Tyrannor just above the eye leaving a sizeable scar that goes down to his neck."

"Wow... you sure have had some adventures while you have been here." Kylie blushed slightly and handed the tooth back to Clif. "How long have you really been living here?"

"Five years, give or take a month or two." Arc smiled and handed her a rolled up map that he had gotten from the war room while they were leaving. "Keep this for yourself. It will come in handy as you learn about your new home."

"By the way… who did we lose to Tyrannor?" Arc spoke somberly.

"Ripley, Ashton, Ron, and Cecilia..." Edward sighed. "All good people who left us too soon…"

"Yeah… they will be missed…" Arc sighed.

The feast continued late into the afternoon and followed into the night. There was dancing, singing, and displays of prowess through mock combat and contests of strength. Even Arc part took in the events, squaring up against Edward in a mock fight using practice weapons that the tribe had stored away. Arc surprisingly lost after tripping over a root that was behind him. He took the loss with good faith and rejoined Kylie at the table.

"Well that was fun!" Arc massaged his still healing forearm.

"Too bad you lost." She snickered. "I thought you were going to win."

"I think I did pretty well despite that wolf jacking up my arm." Arc propped his feet up on the table. "But there is still something bothering me…"

"And what's that?" Kylie popped a couple of azulberries in her mouth.

"Edward said that Tyrannor had burns on him and he looked emaciated… What could have caused the top predator of these parts to sustain that much injury?"

"Perhaps the Titans had something to do with it. They seem to have an affinity for using fire."

"Perhaps… but still." Arc continued to ponder the whole mess.

The festivities soon started to wane as people began to disperse and return to their tents. The torches were soon lit and those who were to take the night watch stood at their posts while the rest of the tribe slumbered. The dinosaurs as well were deep asleep, making low rumbles as their snores echoed through the camp.

"How can you sleep with all that noise?" Kylie and Arc went back inside the stone fort. "It's loud out there with all of the dinosaurs snoring."

"Ear plugs are a beautiful thing" He went to a chamber that had a bed, dresser, and night stand. "Each room has a set in the night stand."

"You mean I get to stay here in the keep?" Kylie was quite shocked. "I thought this place was reserved for those of power in the tribe."

"Well you don't exactly have many provisions of your own yet so… yeah." Arc laughed. "I'm certainly not going to let you sleep in the animal pens."

With that said, Arc went to another room down the hall and bid Kylie good night. She waved back at him and went into the room with her meager supplies in tow. She placed her bone club and bow against the wall and put the flint knife on the night stand. She then started looking through the drawers of the night stand and found a leather backed parchment book similar to the one that Arc carries around with him filled with notes about the foliage and fauna of the island. After sorting her stuff out, she didn't even bother changing and flopped on the bed, exhausted from everything that had happened.

" _Five years… how on earth has he not lost his sanity? Does he miss his home? Friends, family, any pets… they must miss him._ " She continued to think about it. " _What about my family? Will I ever see them again?_ "

She soon dozed off into her wakeless dreams along with the rest of the tribe, but not all was as peaceful as it seemed.

Off in the distance, a single spyglass peered through the bushes and stalked the movements of the tribes nightwatch. Attached to the spyglass was a slenderly built man clad in pure black cloth armor and had a pair of daggers strapped to his waist along with a blow gun on his back. At his side was a nimble dark brown cat like Thylacoleo that sat patiently as his master continued his stalking. After about twenty minutes of peering around, the spy heard some rustling in the bushes behind him. Drawing his daggers, the spy readied to assault whatever came out from behind.

"Don't attack!" A man wearing the armor of the Thunderhoof Traders stepped into view. "It'll be the last thing you ever do."

"Silence you miserable wretch." The black garbed spy closed his spyglass. "You would have been dead by now if I didn't have any use for you."

"Yeah yeah… and what would you have told your midget boss when he learned that you killed his inside contact?" The man sat down on a boulder and propped up his feet. "What is it you want?"

"Oh… it's not what I want, at least not this time." The spy pet his Thylacoleo. "It's what The Lost Hobbit wants."

The mood between the two grew deadly still as the man from the Thunderhoof Traders realized the true depth of the spy's reasons for being there.

"I see… so what does he want?"

The spy said nothing at first and merely handed him a small vial of pink liquid. As the contents of the vial swisher around, it changed to a dark purple and bubbled up.

"What is this?" The man had a questioning stare. "What am I supposed to do with it."

"The dinosaurs… put it in their water." The spy then climbed up on his Thylacoleo and disappeared into the treetops.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

The following day, Kylie woke up with a start when a reverberating roar echoed through the camp. Thinking that they were under attack, Kylie quickly grabbed her club and knife before running out of the stone keep.

"Easy boy! Easy!" a stable hand was holding a rope that was tied to a struggling Stegosaurus. "Easy! No one is going to hurt you."

Kylie realized that it was Roach making the noise and he was fighting to get away from the stable hands that were trying to get him back under control. She was slightly infuriated with how harsh the hands were being with him and stepped in immediately to calm him down.

"Drop the ropes!" She shouted at the men, gaining their undivided attention.

"Are you nuts? This Stegosaurus is going wild." One of the hands looked at her wide eyed. "Get back before you get hurt!"

Kylie ignored the stable hands and approached Roach quietly. His pupils were dilated and the colors in his back plates were more vibrant than usual from him pumping a steady supply of blood into them. His fear was apparent, and even when she touched his forehead, there was no sign of him calming down.

"What's the matter big guy?" She cradled his head. "It's okay. It's okay."

Roach apparently didn't think it was okay and threw Kylie to the side before charging out of the camp and into the woods. Without a second thought, Kylie grabbed her club and ran after Roach shouting all the while.

The stable hands just watched as the two disappeared into the underbrush, unsure of what to do now. Arc and Edward then stepped out of the stone keep, only catching the very end of the situation that just happened.

"What's going on?" Arc inquired with the stable hands who jumped at his voice. "Where is she going?"

The two handlers started babbling gibberish and pointing to where Roach and Kylie headed, but neither Edward or Arc could make sense of it.

"Words you idiots! Clear your minds before opening your mouths." Edward silenced them with a harsh tone. "What happened here?"

"The lady that accompanied Arc here and her Stegosaurus just took off!" The hands finally gave a clear statement. "They were headed towards the Southern Jungle."

Arc swore and ran towards the forest and found Roach's footprints in the soft dirt. "Edward… What dinosaurs do we have in the stables?" he ran the tip of his glaive through the soil.

"Nothing that would be effective in chasing down an Stegosaurus…" You're better off going on foot."

"Right… but I'm not going alone." Arc growled. "Rentar! Get Gears and Mavis here now!" He pointed at the stablehand.

The hand yelped and ran back to get Arc's favorite little hunters. They both trilled loudly when they saw their master and stood by his side while wagging their tails.

Arc nodded and took off into a furious fleeting sprint, crashing through the underbrush. He slashed his glaive through the brush every so often to remove any undergrowth that would hinder his travel. Roach wasn't the most graceful of creatures and left an easy trail for Arc to follow. He followed the trail north towards the river they crossed previously, but there was still no sight of him. Even his Dilophosaurs couldn't pick up anything even though the two practically had their snouts in the sand.

There was signs that he entered the river, but without a clear trail to follow, finding Roach and Kylie was going to be all the more difficult. Knowing that he needed to get his bearings, Arc ran back to where the tracks ended at the river's edge. He knew that the water flowed west towards the open ocean so he started to look in that direction first.

" _Once I find those two, I'm going to kill them for running off like this._ " Arc grumbled to himself.

He rolled up his sleeves and drew his hunting knife, prepared to make the crossing to the other side of the river.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Kylie continued to chase Roach through the underbrush despite her soaking wet clothes slowing her down. She noticed that he was still spooked, but there was nothing chasing them as far as she knew. Eventually, Roach slowed down and came to a lumbering halt next to the water's edge of a small pond.

Kylie stopped as well and found that her dingbat dinosaur had led her to a small delta system fed by a large pond. Hugging the delta was dense forest that would hinder most large predators, making it a relatively safe residence for the island's larger animals. Behind them was one of the three great obelisks that oversaw the entire island.

"Where are we?" Kylie reached for the map that Arc gave her only to remember that she had left it back in the stone keep along with her copy of the survival guide that everyone carried.

"I guess we are going to have to retrace our steps to get home." She grabbed the rope still tied to Roach's neck. "Let's go."

Kylie tried to pull Roach, but he refused to move. She tried again thinking he was just enticed by the leafy foliage, but he still refused to budge. His eyes were heavily dialated and his movements seemed rather frantic.

"Come on… we need to get moving."

Roach refused to listen and kept his focus on the forest across the delta. His breathing stiffened and his frame started to shake.

"What is it big guy?" Kylie followed his gaze.

Catching sight of movement from across the river, Kylie spotted a herd of animals that looked similar to Roach but we're only a fraction of his size and had far more spikes than Roach did as well.

"Cousins of yours?" She giggled. "Come on... let's g-"

She was just about to try and lead Roach away again when an ear deafening roar echoed through the area. Turning her attention back to the herd of spike backed dinosaurs, three more creatures crashed through the underbrush and out in the open. The first animal had two humps on its back and fur lined the sides of its body. It was obviously herbivore, judging by is lack of sharp claws and bill like mouth. Outright terrified by its pursuers, the peculiar creature tried to take shelter with the rest of the herd, but they were not having it. Lashing their tails from side, the spike tails drove the odd animal away along with its two pursuers which were very carnivorous and very hungry. The smaller of the two hunters was bipedal, had long forearms and a long thin snout lined with sharp crocodile teeth. It was incredibly fast and tried to nip at the heels of its prey but couldn't get a firm grip on the camel like animal's thick calves.

The second creature was much bigger and had steak knife sized teeth. It looked like a Tyrannosaurus Rex, but it was bigger and beefier than one. Its skin was dark brown with black armored nodes and it had a black armored ridge down its spine. What was concerning was that the beast looked pretty torn up and underfed. His ribcage was clearly visible and there was a long scar that started above its eye and trailed down his neck.

"Oh no!" She screamed in terror knowing who that was from Arc's description. "Tyrannor!"

The Tyrannosaur stopped making Kylie shudder, wishing she hadn't done that. His eyes locked on both Kylie and Roach who were frozen with fear. Hunger drove the beast and he launched a full frontal attack at the two with a deafening roar.

Kylie wrapped her arms around Roach and closed her eyes, unable to watch as Tyrannor opened his serrated maw as wide as he could. Once again she waited for Death's cold embrace, praying for another miracle to happen to her.

* * *

 *****As always, Please REVIEW. Any feedback is very helpful, appreciated, and valuable.**

 *****Seriously! The only way that I can improve or hear your thoughts on my story is if you tell me as a community. LET ME KNOW!**

 **If you want me to review a story you have written before you review mine, tell me!**

 **Got a crazy idea... I love crazy! Let me know.**

 **Want to collaborate on a chapter... Rock on**


	6. Chapter 6

**As always... Please read and enjoy~ Scriffignano**

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

Kylie wrapped her arms around Roach and closed her eyes and screamed as loud as she could as Tyrannor opened his serrated maw as wide as he could. She was moments away from being eaten when she was thrown from Roach's side into the soft mud that coated the delta banks. She then heard a mighty crack followed by a painful squealing roar from Tyrannor.

Kylie lifted her head from the mud slowly and saw that Roach had engaged with Tyrannor and was now fighting for his life. After delivering a blow to Tyrannor's face with his tail, Roach turned his body around and kept his sharp thagomizers between him and Tyrannor's sharp teeth.

"Hang in there Roach." Kylie whispered as she got herself out of the mud and ran for cover behind a nearby boulder

She watched as Tyrannor tried his best to flank her mount, but Roach was surprisingly able to match Tyrannor's every move by pivoting on his front legs and keeping his tail in line to where he could swipe at the carnivore if he got to close. She felt bad that she abandoned her dinosaur to the jaws of a Tyrannosaurus, but she was scared for her life. Never before had she seen a creature so well built for killing and it was a frightening idea.

" _What do I do? I have to help him, but how can I?_ " Her mind raced as guilt set in " _I'll go for-_."

Kylie came back to reality as Roach and Tyrannor roared at each other again. Somehow while she was lost in her guilt of leaving Roach behind, he got turned around and Tyrannor was able to get a bite in on his front leg. He held it up at an awkward angle and tried to hobble backwards as Tyrannor made his approach. The fight continued to go south for Roach as Tyrannor then clamped his serrated maw around the base of Roach's shoulders and whipped his head around violently. Roach squealed, blood trickling from the wounds and his mouth.

Realizing that Roach was going to die if she didn't do something, Kylie broke her cover and made a mad dash at Tyrannor with her bone club in hand. She screamed as loud as she could as she slammed the flat of her club against Tyrannor's leg with all her might. While she was hoping to do something to his leg, Kylie realized that it was probably nothing more than a love tap to Tyrannor but it still got his attention.

Figuring that Kylie would be an easier meal than the four ton armored herbivore who had already bloodied his maw, Tyrannor turned his full attention to Kylie and started chasing her into the forest. While Kylie was glad Roach was no longer a target, she now needed to worry about the fact that she was now on the menu. Tyrannor roared loudly as he started gaining on her, his teeth mere inches from the back of her scalp.

Hoping the forest could help her lose the hungry predator, Kylie tore through the underbrush, scaring every other animal in the vicinity as she ran. Soon she was joined by a herd of Parasaurolophus who panicked at the noise and thus confused Tyrannor on where his original target went off to. Getting a ruthless idea, Kylie smacked one of the crested animals with her club, breaking its ribs and effectively slowing it down.

Deciding not to be picky, Tyrannor switched gears and sank his teeth into the Parasaurolophus that was slower than the rest of its herd mates. The poor beast gave blood curdling squeal as Tyrannor's teeth sliced through hide and muscle, creating pools of blood to splash all over the forest ground. The animal continued its fruitless struggle as Tyrannor picked up the herbivore and started shaking it like a ragdoll.

Kylie doubled back while Tyrannor was distracted and made a mad sprint for the delta where she left Roach, dodging one of the Parasaurolophus' legs that Tyrannor threw as he tore his prey to ribbons. The smell of death and blood permeated the area and filled Kylie's nose with its gut wretching aroma. She threatened to hurl, but kept running until she reached the clearing where she found Roach still standing, but badly injured.

He sustained several injuries on his front leg and a good portion of one back plate was bitten off. What worried Kylie was that he could hardly stand up, let alone walk. Tears graced her eyes and sure enough, Roach collapsed from his injuries and just laid in the mud. His whole body heaved as he gasped for air, his body desperately trying to hold on.

"It's okay… It's okay…" Kylie sat down in the mud with Roach and comforted her pet.

She had only had Roach for a short period of time, but she had grown to love him like she would a dog or cat. She even treated him like one and merely pet his scaly head as he managed to lift his neck to place his head on her lap.

"I know…" She sighed, understanding what kind of pain he was in. "I know…"

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Arc doubled his efforts when the roars and bellowing bleats came to a halt. He had no idea what was going on, but he did know that it was big and involved some sort of predatory dinosaur. Especially if it scared an entire herd of Parasaurolophus out of the forest and onto the beach. Following the trail that the crested animals had left in their wake back to its source, Arc soon found himself hiding behind a boulder as a huge Tyrannosaurus gorged himself on a fresh kill that it had just made. At first Arc thought the Tyrannosaur had killed Kylie and Roach, but upon further inspection, he found that it was merely a Parasaurolophus that was unfortunate enough to be caught by the lizard king.

He slowly skirted around the feeding predator, who only looked up every so often to swallow a huge chunk of flesh it tore away from the carcass. Arc thought the Tyrannosaur looked familiar, but he couldn't place where he had seen it before. It wasn't until he got around the back side of the beast did he see the tell tale scar that characterized this dinosaur from the others.

"So Tyrannor… The stories about you are true." Arc nodded. "Looks like times have fallen hard for you."

Arc continued to follow the footprints until he reached a clearing where a delta sprawled in all directions. He knew this area well and often fished these waters when he first arrived here on the Ark.

"Kylie!" He called out, but there was no response.

Gears and Mavis chattered to each other before putting their snouts to the dirt. Clicking loudly, the two Dilophosaurs started tracking a specific set of prints left in the soft soil.

"Where are they? Sniff them out."

Arc followed his companions as they weaved their way through the tall grass and up to the banks of the widest part of the delta system. The two chattered excitedly and charged forward leaving Arc in the dust. He followed them as quickly as possible until he found who he was looking for.

Kylie was laying in the mud with Roach, comforting the stegosaurus as he labored to take in fresh gasps of air. Blood spilled from several nasty wounds on his body, and it was apparent that the armored animal couldn't walk. Sympathizing with her, Arc kneeled down next to Roach opposite to Kylie and pressed a caring hand against the animal's flank.

"What happened."

"I don't know…" Tear marks tracked her face and her eyes were puffy. "Roach was acting panicked at the camp and I tried to calm him down. Next thing I know I'm chasing him through the jungle and we ended up at the bank of this delta system." She sobbed and buried her face in Roach's mud and blood covered skin. "Then that fucking Tyrannosaur you told me about last night attacked us! I tried to save him, but… I was scared and hid behind a rock."

Kylie fully broke down and cried her eyes out. She felt like she was at fault for what happened and kept beating herself up for it.

"Shh shh… It's okay… It's okay." Arc came around the other side of Roach and wrapped his arms around her. "It's not your fault…"

"Yes it is." Her voice was muffled. "I should have fought with him."

"But you did. You led Tyrannor away from here." He tried to comfort her. "I know it seems bleak, but you saved Roach from a gruesome fate."

"Maybe… but how will I help him now?" Her sobs stuttered her speech. "He can barely stay awake… let alone walk."

Roach's breathing became even more labored and his skin started feeling cold to the touch. Blood turned the banks around them crimson and the stench was sure to attract predators in due time Arc laid a hand on the massive beast and sighed. It hurt him to admit it, but he knew Kylie was right about this. There was no way they could get Roach home, and it was too dangerous to stay here.

Other members of the tribe then showed up on a variety of mounts with Edward and his white and red Allosaurus leading the group.

"What happened?" Edward ran up and kneeled in the mud as well. "Who did this to him?"

Arc silenced him and kept Kylie close to me as her mount slowly died in her arms. Tears streamed down her eyes and blood trickled from Roach's snout and mouth. Blood had seeped into his lungs and now made it even more difficult to breath.

"It's okay… It's okay…" Kylie smiled and pet him. "You did well today. I love you buddy."

Roach looked up at her one last time before breathing his last. His eyes slowly closed and his head went limp in her arms. The great stegosaur had finally given his last and laid still. Kylie shuddered for several second before breaking down into a wailing cry. She had only been on the island for a short period of time and she had already experienced so much hurt. Arc could only hold her in his arms and stay strong for her. Behind the group, the hissing and clicking of scavenging Utahraptors could be heard, but Edwards mounted party kept them at bay for now.

"I know this hurts Kylie… but we can't stay here." Edward stood behind both of them. "Let's head home."

She pulled herself away from Arc and stood up. Without saying a word, she grabbed two sticks on the delta bank and tied them together with a strip of leather she ripped from her own armor. After tying the two pieces together, she hammered it into the soft soil directly in front of Roach's body.

"Let's go." She spoke flatly and walked towards their encampment.

Arc and Edward looked back at what she made and saw a cross standing in front of his deceased body. The pain she was feeling was now turning to rage and aimed it all at Tyrannor, whom she felt responsible for killing Roach.

"After you chased after her we found something…" Edward whispered to Arc.

"Found something?"

Edward pulled a small vial out of his pocket and gave it to Arc. "This was no coincidence. Someone drugged the water causing Roach to hallucinate."

"Any idea who did this?"

"No… but I suspect it's someone from within the tribe… how else would they have known where Roach was."

Kylie overheard what they were saying and clenched her fists. Someone had murdered her scaled friend and now they were going to pay. Even if she had to overturn the entire island, she was going to find this person and tear them limb from limb.

"Kylie…"Arc watched her posture change. "You okay?"

"No… but I will be." She walked up to Rion Nulltusk and her white Direbear and climbed up on the back of the saddle.

Arc and Edward merely shrugged before getting back on Edward's Allosaurus. Arc remembered the day they brought the beast down and how much of a struggle it gave them. He was pleased it has been trained well and behaving superbly for Edward.

"Gears! Mavis!"

The two Dilophosaurs trilled with a sad tone and followed their master back into the woods. The group had to go the long way around the delta system so they could bypass Tyrannor. They would have gone through the water, but the piranha swarms found here could reduce a mammoth to bones in a matter of minutes.

"What do I do now?" Kylie sighed.

"When we get back, we will put a small memorial up for Roach." Arc said somberly. "Our tribe honors all fallen animals both great and small no matter how long they have been with us."

Kylie nodded and looked ahead, hear the snapping of twigs in the forest undergrowth.

"What was that?"

"What was what? All I hear is the footsteps of our dinosaurs and-" Arc sniffed the air. "Do you smell smoke?"

Everyone turned their attention to Clif and his blood red Utahraptor as he puts an ivory smoking pipe in his mouth. Normally the smoke would be coming from him, but this time he hadn't even lit the pipe and they could already smell smoke.

"Something isn't adding up here…" Edward spurred his Allosaurus forward despite the animal's desire to protest and run the other direction.

Smoke started to whisper through the forest floor, scaring every animal in the area and choking those not tall enough to avoid the smoke.

The group spurred their steeds and made a break for the riverbank. Animals of all sorts charged passed them, desperate to get away from the flames.

"Break formation and get to the river!"Arc barked.

The group dispersed and spread out as the faster mounts sped ahead of the rest. Soon they found themselves on the riverbank opposite of where the tribe's camp was.

In the distance small bands of dinosaur riders could be seen charging the encampment with weapons drawn.

"War is upon us lads! Charge!"

Everyone erupted into fierce war cries and crossed the river with bloodlust fevor. Even Gears and Mavis took the plunge and charged at the encampment with their frills flared.

"Show them no mercy!" Kylie cried out, surprising everyone.

She jumped off Rion's Direbear and ran into the camp on foot with her weapon drawn. Arc jumped from Edward's Allosaurus to Clif's Utahraptor and had them follow her into the camp.

Kylie was still grief striken over Roach's demise, but it didn't slow her unusually skilled fighting prowess. Upon entering the camp, she was ambushed by a raptor rider who had been lying in wait. The two jumped at her, but they didn't stand a chance. Hefting her club, Kylie back swung and connected with the base of the beast's neck. It snapped with a solid crack and the two fell into a crumpled heap opposite of where they stood.

Kylie snorted and found that the camp was under attack on its eastern front. The tribe guard tried their best to hold off the raiding parties, but mounted riders and fire were too much for the guards to handle and they were being mowed down like blades of grass.

"What do we do? We can hardly fight back." Kylie jumped behind some nearby bushes.

Her answer came when two of the tribe's long necked mammals known as Paraceratheriums lumbered passed while carrying great platform saddles. Upon the saddles were giant crossbow like weapons loaded with giant steel tipped bolts that could skewer a horse like a kabob.

"Kylie! Get on!" Arc threw a rope ladder down before running back to the animal's reins.

No sooner than she had ahold of the ladder, Arc cracked the reins spurring the lumbering giant forward. As she climbed, she noticed that the animal was covered with armor on its head and neck allowing arrows to glance off the steel plating without harm.

"Take the reins!"

"What?"Kylie was shocked.

"Take the reins!"Arc shouted with anger in his voice.

Kylie was froze in place. She hadn't heard this much anger and rage from Arc since the day the Titans caught them in the woods. The flashbacks then shifted to Roach and her full grief set in. She collapsed to her knees and started crying despite the danger they were in. She didn't care anymore. Everything that she had come to love had been taken away thus far, in her eyes there was nothing left to live for.

"Kylie!" Arc cried. "I know you miss Roach, but we need you now!" He tried to reach out to her, but got no response.

Around him, people and dinosaurs alike started abandoning the fight and fleeing for their lives. A second wave of Titan raiders had arrived and this time they brought Tyrannosaurs with them. Edward, who was reinning the other Paraceratherium had to abandon and leap from his mount when one of the Tyrannosaurus clamped down on its neck. The poor animal squealed before falling in a pool of its own blood and torched by the flames

"Please Kylie! I can't do this alone! We need you!" Arc cried out desperately, making her raise her head.

The fires around them glistened in Arc's eyes and a single tear streaked down his face. The heat of the flames around them gave him a haunting glow and the roars of dinosaurs could be heard all around.

"We, no… I need you Kylie." Arc spoke softly. "And if not for me… Do this for Roach."

At that moment, Kylie jumped to her feet and grabbed the reins from Arc. He smiled and ran for the siege weapon the animal carried and started raining hell upon the raiders. The first two bolts he shot skewered the Tyrannosaurus in the chest, puncturing its lungs and heart and making it drop without another sound.

"Carnotaurs inbound!" Arc shouted and turned the ballista towards them.

Moving too slowly for taste, Kylie yanked the reins over and dragged the great mammal to the right effectively trampling the bull headed carnivores to death.

Arc and Kylie finally felt like they were gaining the upper hand in this massacre. Some of the tribe's members had rejoined the fight and things were starting to look up.

"Retreat!" One of the Titans war horns sounded.

As the bands of raiders started to disperse and run, more and more Thunderhoof tribe members crawled out of the woodwork to mow them down. The odds were tipping back in their favor… or so they thought. As the last of the Titans dispersed, the sun was eclipsed by the moon. Darkness prevailed over the island only to be fought by the glow of the many fires that were still kindled.

Arc and Kylie slowed the Paraceratherium they rode and waited with anticipation. The money was not to eclipse the sun for a few more years so they were unsure of what to make of this.

"What's going on Arc?" Kylie tightened her grip on the reins.

"I… I have no idea." He was afraid of what might happen.

Then there was a mighty thump. It shook the ground and scared the animals that were still in the area. The first tremor was then followed by a second one and the earth rattled again. Trees cracked in the forest and the thumps became rhythmatic like footsteps.

A mighty roar like Arc has never heard before then echoed and the treeline around the southern edges of the encampment fell like a line of toothpicks. Due to the horribly dimmed light of the eclipse, Arc and Kylie could only make out the outline of the beast behind the commotion. It was bigger than any animal that they have seen before. The creature walked on two legs and it had a shape that could only be described in a fantasy. The body looked like a Tyrannosaurus Dominum, but the head looked like it had a curved bill.

"What the hell is that?" One of the tribe members yelled.

"Let's not find out! RUN!"

Everyone retreated back they way they came, but it was all in vain. The mysterious creature sucked in a huge gulp of air before unleashing a torrential stream of fire at the fleeing people.

The Paraceratherium that Arc and Kylie were riding was also caught in the flames. The animal squealed as it desperately tried to shake the fire that ate at its flesh but all it did was make the flames spread. Soon the flames were running so hot that the platform itself started to melt, forcing Arc and Kylie to bail.

"Jump!" Arc screamed and leapt from the animal to the ground below.

Kylie followed in suit and the two started to run for cover. The two were about to pass a tent when Arc saw the contents inside. It was where they had stored the barrels of spar powder, and the tent was on fire.

Reacting quickly, Arc tackled Kylie out of the way as the barrels exploded outwards. The force of the blow knocked the two unconscious and covered them with a layer of dirt.

The last thing Arc remembered hearing was the roar of the animal.

" _We are doomed…._ "

* * *

 *****As always, Please REVIEW. Any feedback is very helpful, appreciated, and valuable.**

 *****Seriously! The only way that I can improve or hear your thoughts on my story is if you tell me as a community. LET ME KNOW!**

 **If you want me to review a story you have written before you review mine, tell me!**

 **Got a crazy idea... I love crazy! Let me know.**

 **Want to collaborate on a chapter... Rock on**


	7. Chapter 7

**As always... Please read and enjoy. ~ Scriffignano**

* * *

 **Chapter 7**

Soot coated the grounds of a once proud tribe that disappeared in the flames of war. Trees were incinerated and anything living had been turned to ash. Death permeated the area, but even in this haunting place life goes on. Scavengers of all sorts started to gather and feast on the burnt flesh of the many corpses that laid in the soot. Small seagull-like birds with sharp teeth fought over tiny morsels while bigger animals like Troodons and Archaeopteryx feasted on the bigger chunks of rotting flesh. There were also a pair of Dilophosaurs prowling about, but they seemed to show little interest in in the many bodies strewn over the battlefield. Keeping their snouts to the dirt, the two followed a scent trail to a small crater in the earth. The overturned soil still reeked of death, sparkpowder, and smoke, but there was a fourth scent that was way more interesting. Following the smell about twenty yards more, the Dilophosaurs trilled loudly and started rooting around.

Their determination paid off. Under a thin layer of dirt laid two human beings that were still alive. They recognized the two by scent. It was their human masters and companions, Arc and Kylie. Minor burns and heat rashes marred their skin, but they were otherwise intact.

The two little predators tried their best to wake them up but met with little success. The force of whatever put them in this comatose state must have been enormous, because not even small nips on the head were effective. After trying without pause, their determination started to pay off. A low moan came from one of the two and Kylie started to stir. She got up and rubbed soot all over her face as she attempted to clear her eyes. Seeming dazed, Kylie scanned the ruins of the camp without any pause or feeling.

"What… where am- OH GOD!" She came to, finally remembering what had just recently come to pass. "Arc! Get up!"

The young soot covered woman shook the still unconscious Arc lying on the ground. After about a minute of rattling his brain around, Kylie got Arc to respond and he sat up right quick.

After a moment or two, Arc stood up without saying a word and wandered across the ruins of their once proud camp. Troodons and Archaeopteryx fled from Arc as he walked by, only to return once he was out of the way to continue their feasting. Several hissed at him to show their annoyance but otherwise did nothing.

Arc stopped once he reached the center of their encampment and fell to his knees once more. He gave out a wailing cry of anguish that echoed for miles on end. Everything he had built over the years was gone. Razed to the ground in a matter of minutes by something unknown to him. He wanted to be angry and seek revenge, but all he could feel at the moment was despair. There was no way for home to bring back what he once had nor could he avenge what he had lost. Not with what he saw that thing the Titans had at their disposal

"Sasha, Harley, Edward, Blackfry, Clif… they're all gone." He whispered to himself as he listed off the names of those lost to the flames of war.

Kylie could only kneel next to him and wallowed in the same pool of despair. While she hasn't been on the island long, both Roach and the only group who gave her any sort of safety were all gone.

"What do we do now?" She sighed.

Arc continued to stay silent and stare out into nothingness. His eyes seemed fixed on a single focal point and nothing Kylie said or did was going to persuade him otherwise. He then stood up and sluggishly shambles towards the cliff that overlooked the southern ocean. He came within inches of the cliff face before coming to a halt.

"Arc… what are you doing." Kylie watched as he looked over the edge. "Don't you even think about it!"

Fearing that Arc was about to jump off the cliff, Kylie ran towards him ready to tackle him to the ground.

She was within inches of reaching him when he simply bent down and picked up his glaive. Somehow during the battle, they had both misplaced their weapons and needed to retrieve them. Gears and Mavis hissed and trilled before pulling at some sort of stick in the dirt. Upon further investigation, Kylie discovered that it was her bone club that the two had found and they were trying to extricate it from the ground for her.

"At least we didn't lose you two." She scratched their head crests. "How did you make it?"

"Easy… they were not at the battle." Arc finally spoke. "I had them go hide."

"What?"

"Gears and Mavis are not exactly good at open warfare so I told them to go hide."Arc was flat about it before kneeling back down next to Kylie.

Silence once again wrapped its cold hands over the area. Things looked so bleak for Arc and Kylie that they were unsure of what to do next. They had finally hit rock bottom and there was no visible way to bring themselves back up.

Then out of nowhere they heard a muffled moan echo from across the ruins. Unsure of what to make of the noise, Arc sent Gears and Mavis to go and investigate. Using their highly trained senses to their advantage, the two dilophosaurs pinpointed where the noise was coming from and started digging at the feet of the burnt corpse of a Paraceratherium.

Arc and Kylie joined the two dinosaurs in their digging and unearthed another human that was still alive. He was covered in soot and mud, but Arc would have been able to recognize him anywhere.

"Edward, you son of a bitch!" Arc pulled him into a rough embrace, nearly choking the still dazed chieftain. "How the hell did you make it?"

Edward was still trying to get his senses back together, but his mind was still intact enough that he knew how to respond to Arc's question. He then explained that after his Paraceratherium was killed by the Tyrannosaurus Dominum, he decided to charge at them on foot. Once he saw that there was more to the attack than what was previously thought, he hid under the animal's corpse and dug even deeper. The layer of dirt kept the fires from ravaging him to nothing but bones and the carcass kept the dirt from flooding in and crushing him to death.

"You sly dog. I can't believe you made it!" Arc hugged him again.

"But at what cost…" Edward looked at the remains of the camp. "Everything and everyone is gone. We have nothing left."

"We still have each other and these two." Kylie tried to brighten the mood and pointed at Gears and Mavis.

"As much as I want that to cheer me up… I'm afraid that doesn't console me much my dear." Edward sighed and ran a dirt covered hand through his hair. "What choices do we have now?"

"We don't have any!" Arc threw his hands in the air. "No protection, no home, no allies, nothing!" Arc grabbed a rock and threw it over the cliffside. "We might as well consider ourselves damned to oblivion."

Edward and Kylie didn't want to fall into the same pit of despair Arc was dragging them into, but he had a pretty convincing argument. Without any tamed large scale animals or protection, survival was looking pretty bleak for them. Kylie then thought for a moment and a single word rang in her head.

"Allies…" She spoke softly. "Of course."

"What was that?" Edward looked over at her.

"Edward… in the tribe's prime, how well known were the Thunderhoof Traders?" She inquired.

"We were known throughout the island as one of the most powerful tribes. Smaller groups used to trade with us all the time to get the valuable resources that they needed."

"Did you make any alliances during that time?" She pushed her probing even further. "I'm sure some of the smaller communities that dot this island wanted some sort of agreement with you."

It all started to sink in and Edward understood where Kylie was headed with this. "My… Aren't we intuitive. Do you suggest we seek help from the alliances we made over time?"

"Yes I am."

"Like that would work.." Arc interrupted them with a sour tone. "I doubt any tribe will be willing to work with us now."

"Excuse me?"

"Face it you two… the only reason we were able to make those alliances is because we had the power to back it up. No tribe is going to sacrifice their resources to help a group with no legitimate standing." Arc scowled.

"What about all those we have defended in the past? They would surely help us." Edward stood firm in what Kylie was thinking. "It would be a dishonorable if they turned their backs to us."

"They would rather be dishonorable than foolish. You know as well as I do that our hold on this island has been weakening at a blistering pace." Arc reminded him. "The Titans have many of the smaller communities by their unmentionables and they are not going to ease up."

"What do you mean?" Kylie was confused.

"To simply put it… the Titans have been extorting tribes for metal in exchange for protection. Those who don't accept the terms are wiped out quickly." Arc cleared up any confusion. "In their eyes'... to refuse them is to side with us and that will be met with total obliteration."

"I can't see them being protective over other tribes."

"Protection to them means if tribes pay up, then they don't get raided. Basic extortion at its finest." Edward finished up the conversation. "Are there any large tribes that are free of Titan control?"

"The only one I can think of is The Tundra Amazons tribe led by Aya." Arc scowled.

The mood between the two males immediately shifted to a darker tone. Kylie remembers no mentioning of them previously, but by the way their moods changed she could tell it was a bad thing.

Edward scratched the back of his head before kicking at the dirt. "It's a long shot, but they might be willing to help us…"

Arc nearly doubled over with mirth. "They would be more willing to castrate us than anything."

"I'm guessing they don't like us eh."

"They don't like men in general. The Tundra Amazons are an all women tribe with a warlike mentality. We could only send female traders to do any business with them." Arc sighed. " But it looks like we have no choice but to seek their help."

"Which means that you will have to take lead when we approach them for help." Edward drew his sword at Kylie. "Kneel."

Kylie was hesitant at first, but complied dropping to one knee. Edward raised his sword to his forehead before kissing the crossguard. He then tapped Kylie on both her shoulders before sticking the blade in the dirt before her.

"Rise. I name you the third chieftain of the Thunderhoof Traders and liaison to The Arctic Amazons."

Kylie got up and gave a small bow of appreciation towards Edward. She didn't feel any different, but she now bore a great responsibility in getting them a possible ally in taking down the Titans.

"We would normally celebrate such an occasion with a banquet, but now time is of the essence. I know we all hurt from recent losses, but we must hold fast if we want any shot at bringing our loved ones the peace they deserve."

"So what's our next move? We can't exactly walk all the way there." Kylie wondered. "And humans are not exactly fleet footed enough to catch the faster animals of the island."

Arc stuck his glaive in the dirt and pondered the dilemma she posed. She was right in saying that they needed to move fast. Crossing the western coast gets more and more perilous the farther north you go. Sabertooth cats and Tyrannosaurs ravage the area along with wolves and eagles as big as small planes.

"Buckler Mansion…" Arc muttered under his breath.

"What?"

"We are going to Buckler Mansion. It's just north of here." Arc picked up his weapon and headed north.

"What are we going there for. You know old man Buckler doesn't trade with us anymore, and even if he did we have nothing to give him."

"We aren't going to trade with him." Arc sneered. "I'm sure he won't mind parting with a few mounts to help our cause."

"Are you suggesting what I think? Because if you are its a bad idea." Edward pointed at him.

"Not as bad of one as walking into the tundra with nothing. Besides the guy has more metal to his name than we can shake a stick at." Arc snorted. "He will recover."

"What is Arc thinking of doing." Kylie was still confused.

"Well… ever been part of a heist?"

Gears and Mavis chattered before following their master north, leaving Kylie and Edward where they were. The two left a soot trail in their wake having played in the Dusty burnt earth while the three humans figured out their survival.

Edward and Kylie sighed and followed as well. Arc had that look in his eye that said he wasn't going to back down no matter what. They were not sure if it was grief or rage that drove him, but they could only hope that the drive he had right now would not only save them, but perhaps the entire island.

"I certainly hope he knows what he is doing. Any mistakes at this point could end our quest before it starts." Kylie thought to herself.

* * *

 *****As always, Please REVIEW. Any feedback is very helpful, appreciated, and valuable.**

 *****Seriously! The only way that I can improve or hear your thoughts on my story is if you tell me as a community. LET ME KNOW!**

 **If you want me to review a story you have written before you review mine, tell me!**

 **Got a crazy idea... I love crazy! Let me know.**

 **Want to collaborate on a chapter... Rock on**


	8. Chapter 8

**As always... Please read and enjoy~ Scriffignan** **o**

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

Arc, Edward and Kylie picked along the shoreline with their two remaining dinosaurs, Gears and Mavis. They were headed to a place called Buckler Mansion to heist a few animals and possibly some supplies for their quest to save the Ark from whatever the Titans have been planning. It was a grim and ruthless prospect to steal from someone to Kylie, but according to Arc there was nothing to be remorseful of.

"I'm guessing you're not a fan of this Buckler guy…"

"He makes Ebenezer Scrooge look like a nice guy before he met the three ghosts. He's rich, pompous, and ruthlessly clever." Arc scowled. "And he hoards metal like a dragon."

"That's a second time I've heard you say that. What makes a metal so special around here?"

"Metal is a rare and valuable resource in these lands and acts much like money does in the outside world on top of being used to make many of our tools. There are only a few deposits in the whole of the island where you can mass collect this precious resource, and he has control over all of them."

"Let me guess... and he has trade setup to where he comes out on top."

"To the point where it's almost grand theft… he was a bit nicer to us, fair even... when we did trade with him, but things went south very quickly."

"What happened to make things change? Did you do something wrong?" Kylie started throwing a seashell to play fetch with the two Dilophosaurs.

"It's what I didn't do... " Arc sighed. "It's a long story."

"We do have time to kill so let's hear it." Kylie wrestled the shell from Gears' teeth before throwing it again

"Well… it all started about four years ago when the Thunderhoof Traders only consisted of five member, Edward and myself included. We were out gathering resources when we first met Ramsey Buckler."

 _Arc and Edward steered a pair of Parasaurolophus down the beach as they combed the area for resources. Rocks and timbers from nearby trees were being thrown into baskets that were slung over the animals._

" _Do you think this will be enough?" Arc tossed a good sized rock to Edward._

" _It's going to have to be. Buck and Blaze can't carry anymore without undue strain." He put the last boulder into the saddle pouch._

 _As the foraging party prepared to leave, they heard sharp calling and trills echo followed by an infernal scream. From out of the trees an older gentleman, probably in his mid forties or fifties bumbled out while being mauled by several Troodon. One had ahold of his ankle while two there were trying to get a grip on the back of his neck._

 _Arc and Edward both drew their bows and struck the animals with narcotic tipped arrows, making them drop to the ground unconscious. The third animal got scared and ran back into the woods from where it came._

" _Thank you strangers. I would have been dead if not for you." The man got to his feet. " The name is Ramsey Buckler."_

"We took him in and cared for his injuries. After that we escorted Ramsey to his homestead which happened to be not too far away from where we were living." Arc smiled, reminiscing on what could have been a close friendship.

"Seems like things started off well enough between you guys. Did you invite him to join you?" Kylie's interest began to build as the two gentlemen told their tale.

"It did and we both flourished because of that fated encounter." Arc smiled. "And we did invite him to join us, but he politely declined."

 _Arc and Edward along with two other tribesmen arrived at the gates of a large compound. After revealing who they were, the gates creaked open and Ramsey greeted them like old friends._

" _What have you got for me this time?" Ramsey eyed up the bags that were slung over the trade party's animals._

" _A bit of everything!" Edward threw a sack of goods at him. "Question is what do you need?"_

"For a time… things were going quite well for both of us. We flourished and grew together like business partners." Arc sighed. "But then we started noticing a change."

Kylie looked confused by what they said.

"It was small at first. Maybe the payment for our goods diminished a bit or his prices went up minorly." Edward cut in. "But as time passed it got worse and worse."

" _You said that you needed this stuff!" Arc was baffled by Ramsey's refusal to buy a bag of Silica Pearls."We went through a lot of trouble to get these for you."_

" _I'm sorry, but another group beat you to the trade. I would be happy to buy them though, but the price is going to be less." Ramsey threw bags of supplies on a Triceratops._

" _Another group… For Ark's sake man this is the fourth time you've done this to us. We aren't against you trading with others, but I'm starting to think we are getting the raw end of these dealings."_

" _Then go somewhere else." Ramsey huffed. "Not my problem if other tribes can provide where you can't."_

Arc chucked a rock onto the ocean before continuing the tale.

"That response was the straw that broke the camel's back for us. We didn't do any other trades with him for a long time afterwards."

"We actually didn't make any verbal contact with him for a long time, but we always kept an eye on him from afar."

"So… you were spying on him."

"Essentially yes. You don't survive here long not knowing what your neighbors might be up to." Edward covered for Arc. "We noticed that he was getting involved in animal husbandry and breeding choice animals for profit."

"Unfortunately that is why we have such bad relations now." Arc tugged at a shell Mavis was holding in her mouth.

"What happened?" Kylie's interest continued to rise with every minute. Her eyes were glued to him and she hung onto every word he and Edward said.

"Well much like dogs, breeding dinosaurs is a very demanding and time consuming business. Being as cruel as he was, any animal that didn't make the cut were either put down or abandoned to their fate outside the compound." Arc shivered a little

"That's awful." She gasped.

"It is, but that's the way he was and still is." Edward sighed. "This land will never be a forgiving one."

"So was that what caused it?" She inquired

"The fact he abandoned infant animals was only the catalyst. One day while we were scouting around, I came across an infant raptor stumbling around outside the Buckler Mansion. Thinking that he had abandoned it, I scooped up the chick and raised it myself."

"Is this raptor still around?" She hoped that there were animals that survived the Titan's attack.

"No… it was Sylph. The raptor who died while I was on my own… Eventually Ramsey found out what I did and was furious about it even though he had abandoned the animal. He felt that I had swindled him because I never returned the animal to him and properly paid for it." Arc drove the butt of his glaive into the sand to emphasize his point. "We were on the verge of war, but luckily Ramsey has no offensive capabilities. He's all about defense and staying within his walls so we didn't bother wasting resources and men on a fight with him."

"Man…. What a piece of work. No wonder you have no remorse stealing from him. I wouldn't mind showing him what for." Kylie cracked her knuckles.

"You may very well get that chance if we are lucky enough." Edward laughed. "Or unlucky enough…"

Eventually the trio came to the river crossing that would take them off their little island paradise to the mainland. After crossing using a fallen log as their raft, the three continued to a small inlet that housed one of the great obelisks. Skirting around the giant red tower like obelisk, Arc and Edward paid homage to the structure with a curt bow before continuing.

"Why did you bow to the tower?" Kylie was uncertain if it was religious or not.

"We may not know where or how the Ark came to be, but we have reason to believe that these towers had something to do with it." Arc pointed to the tower. "We merely bow to show respect to whatever power these strange towers hold."

"Legend has it that the three towers hold the power to distort time and move matter through time and space." Edward added.

The sun began to set as their trek continued well into the night. They walked at a steady pace until they saw a faint white glow over the hills. Arc and Edward immediately put their hands up to stop Kylie and the Dilophosaurs before belly crawling up the the hill. After a minute or two had passed, Edward motioned for Kylie to join them. She crawled up the hill and beheld the cause of the white glow.

A huge fortress made of stone and metal radiated with white light that pierced the surrounding darkness. Shouting could be heard within as guards and animals alike went about their business.

"Okay… this plan has gone from crazy to fucking insane!" Kylie cringed.

"Well it's more fortified than I expected, but we can do this." Arc eyed up openings for them to take advantage of. "Seems like he upped the security as well."

"And how do you expect to get in? They're not going to throw down the red carpet and greet you with adoring fans you know…" Kylie huffed.

"No… but they might let us in if we pass for guards." Arc pointed to a trio of guards making rounds on the very outskirts of the compound.

The guards had an odd armor style and carried a melee weapon along with a crossbow. Their faces were covered completely by a steel faceplate allowing only their eyes to show.

"Then what do we do once we get in?"

"Easy… Edward and I know where the animals are likely to be held. Once we are in, we make a beeline for the stables and pick a few fleet footed dinosaurs." Arc smiled.

"Seems straightforward." Kylie sighed. "It still seems very risky though."

"Oh… that's not even the best part." Arc grinned evilly.

" _Shit..._ " She swore to herself.

"Then once we have transportation, Edward and I will break into the arms room and take as much as we can get our hands on while you stay put in the stables with our getaway."

"Perfect… you guys get to go shopping while I babysit." Kylie rolled her eyes. "Why don't we go as a team?"

"Because you're not a skilled fighter." Edward cut her off.

"Excuse me!" Kylie was appalled. "I do believe I have been holding my own since I arrived on this god forsaken rock."

"While that's true, the hardest enemy you have gone up against is a wild Carnotaurus and you had Roach's help. These are skilled warriors in metal armor that would sooner kabob you then have a friendly chat." Arc responded. "You would be finished before the fight even began. I'm sorry, but it's too risky."

"I can't believe you." Kylie was upset at his demeaning statement.

"Don't presume that I am being mean or don't trust you to hold your own. I may have given you what seems to be a very meaningless task, but I have given you the most important one of all."

"He's right. Without you guarding the animals that we will use to run from this place, our chances of making it to the northern tundra just goes out the window." Edward responded. "This just shows how much we trust you. We are putting our lives and future in your hands."

She sighed, fully comprehending what they were getting at. Chances are if Ramsey were to catch them in the act of this crime, they will face a gruesome fate. She will be holding the key to their escape, freedom, and quite possibly their very survival.

She took in a deep breath. "Okay. When do we move on this."

"The sooner the better. The longer we linger outside their walls, the sooner we are discovered." Arc pulled out a spyglass. "In fact. Let us strike as soon as those three guards hit the blind spot around the back of the compound. We will have approximately four minutes to dispatch them and take their place."

"Agreed." Edward snapped his fingers.

Gears and Mavis looked up from what they were staring at to see who snapped at them. Arc and Edward then pointed to the dark corner towards the back of the compound and started sneaking their way over there. Kylie followed behind the Dilophosaurs, careful to only step where Arc and Edward had in order to stay quiet.

Once they were in position, Gears and Mavis moved through the thick layer of underbrush to where they were right on top of the three guards. Hisses and clicks followed which put the guards on edge. They have presumptuously heard the noise before and drew their weapons. Three seconds followed before both Gears and Mavis erupted from the foliage, spitting their venom at two of the guards. The two reeled back from the attack, trying to get the noxious liquid out of their eyes giving Arc and Kylie the time they needed to attack. Kylie put her Terror Bird club into the chest cavity of the first guard while Arc broke the neck of the second using the handle of his glaive.

Edward jumped out as well and dispatched the third guard with an arrow to the back of his skull. It was all over in a matter of about forty-five seconds and gave the group plenty of time to change into the discarded armor.

"This stuff reeks of body odor. These guys ever heard of a bath?" Kylie gagged as she put on the helmet.

"Never said that this was going to be glamorous. Just be glad it fits okay." Arc's armor seemed to be a little too big in the gut for him. "Mine makes me look fat."

Once the three were in the armor, they resumed the patrol as if they were the guards. Gears and Mavis on the other hand were sent to the northern hilltops to wait for their master's return from the mission. It was still surprising that the little predators were so smart despite their species being labeled as rather dumb.

"No wonder you never go anywhere without those two." Edward praised the hunters as they vanished into the undergrowth. "They're smart little buggers."

"What can I say? I know how to pick my dinosaurs." Arc puffed up his chest.

"You three!" An officer of some sort approached them from around the corner and glared with disapproving eyes. "Who are you?"

Arc and Edward stiffened, not sure how to respond to the officer. The plan was collapsing fast and they needed a hail mary to get out of this.

"Um… uh…" Arc stammered.

The commanding officer snorted. "You three must be the new recruits that Buckler told me about…" He examined their armor. "Who the fuck dressed you morons. Go to the armorer and have this shit refitted." He pointed to a small building in the compound where smoke billowed from a chimney.

"Yes sir." Edward took lead.

"And after you're done… you three can shovel the stables for wasting my time." The officer huffed.

The three nodded and calmly walked towards the blacksmith's hut. Arc sighed a breath of relief, but didn't drop his guard or posture for fear of being found out.

"That was close. I thought he recognized us." Kylie looked over her shoulder slightly. "Thank god for these helmets."

"Don't relax yet. We only just entered the belly of the beast" The three slipped around the back of the armor hut towards the largest building in the entire compound. "That's where all of his best animals are. No one but his most trusted stablehands are allowed in there."

"So how do we get in?" Kylie looked at the large padlock on the door. "We can't just go and bust it down."

She looked back and saw that Arc and Edward were already solving the problem. Circling around one of the fenced pastures, the two dropped to their knees and started digging right next to the barn walls.

"Where is a gopher when you need one?" Kylie got down and started digging as well.

With their combined effort, the group made a hole big enough for them to squeeze in even with the flak metal armor. Once in however, they ditched the armor in favor of their light weight hide clothes. The armor was cumbersome, loud and had a gut wrenching aroma to it.

"Wow… look at this place." Kylie pushed the armor under a stool to hide it from sight. "This place is beautiful."

The barn was well lit by the many torches that lined the walls of the building and engraved metal plates held the trusses of the barn together. The floor was swept spotlessly clean, and the best part was that there were animals of all sorts kept within the stalls. The most impressive creature held within the building was a grey Tyrannosaurus Dominum with red markings. Next to his stall door was an engraved nameplate that said "Deathstroke".

"Alright… time to do some shopping." Arc put his glaive over his shoulder. "If anyone comes in, either hide or dispatch them quickly. The less noise we make the better."

With that said, the group looked up and down the stalls for animals that were either the best for getting around or they just plain liked. Kylie heavily considered asking if she could take Deathstroke, but upon asking both Arc and Edward said it would be a bad idea. Stealing a Tyrannosaurus would alert every tribe across the island that they were still alive and the feed bill for such a large animal would be hard to maintain.

"I love the enthusiasm, but let's aim for something a bit smaller and faster."

With that said, Kylie searched up and down the aisles. There were a few animals that would get the job done like a giant bullfrog, a Utahraptor, and a Gallimimus, but something told her to keep looking. Meanwhile Edward had chosen an elk with a massive set of antlers. He called the beast Irish which was presumably his name.

Arc on the other hand chose something that made Kylie think that the whole fuss about taking Deathstroke was a bunch of bullshit. Tied to the end of his lead rope was a dinosaur that reminded Kylie of a turkey. The difference was that this Turkey was extremely tall and had claws like swords. The creature cackled loudly before being silenced by Arc with a calm hand.

"Easy Naginata. Easy girl." Arc brought her head down slowly and caressed the animal. "What… you act like you've never seen a person work with an Therizinosaurus." He noticed Kylie's stare

"Well… let's say seeing you holding a twelve foot tall dagger turkey is a first alright." She sneered.

While Arc and Edward were busy getting the saddles on their new animals, Kylie was still stuck on finding one that would suit her best. She never had anything bigger than a Jack Russell Terrier before Roach so this is still a bit new to her. She had no idea what to look for or what characteristics she wanted in an animal that should have went extinct millions of years before people came to be.

"What about that one?" Arc pointed to a dark stall in the corner.

Kylie walked over to the stall and peered over the door. Inside was a huge eight foot tall dark grey Kangaroo that had a very upset expression. Its huge ears swiveled towards her like radar dishes before turning to hear what was going on behind it.

"Aww. She is so cute!" Kylie slowly fell in love with the animals angry expression. "She is perfect."

Kylie slid open the door to the stall and pulled the animal out using a rope she had tied loosely around her neck. Before closing, she looked at the inscribed name plate, but found nothing there.

"She has no name… Should I be worried?"

"The only thing we need to worry about is how long we have been here." Arc scowled. "Sooner or later someone is going to walk in those doors and see us."

"Agreed." Edward snatched Naginata's rope from Arc and handed both of the lead lines to Kylie. "Check those bookshelves for anything useful, I'm going to see what else I can find that is of use."

"Thankfully the idiot keeps all his prized possessions in one area of the barn." Arc shredded the bookshelves. "Now we don't have to split up like I thought we would have to."

The clock was now ticking. Having been in the barn for about fifteen minutes looking for saddles and animals to use, they were now walking on thin ice. Arc chewed through the bookshelf, piling anything that he found that may be useful while Edward looked amongst the many cabinets that lined the barn's far wall. While it was mostly pieces of leather for making saddles that he found, Edward gave a small triumphant laugh before turning around.

Both Arc and Kylie turned to see that he had found a longneck rifle and a bandolier of bullets to match. The gun had a nice sheen to it and seemed well maintained.

"Now… Ramsey will have to find a new weapon to do his dirty work." Edward shouldered the gun before going through the rest of the cabinets.

Edward also found a pair of pistols and a simple break action shotgun before finally finishing his raid on the stored firearms in the barn. Arc on the other hand came back with a stack of books and papers that he had collected from the shelves.

The two then threw everything that they found into leather bags that were slung over their mounts. The books were covered so that they weren't torn up and the weapons were distributed amongst the three of them. Arc took the break action shotgun while Edward kept the rifle for himself. Kylie was grateful for the two pistols, but decided to stick with her bow for the time being. She had never fired a firearm before and didn't feel comfortable trusting her life in her ability to shoot something she has never used before. Instead she put the guns in a saddle bag for safekeeping.

"Hey! What's this hole doing here?" A voice from outside shouted. "Go before I feed you to the animals."

Arc looked out the window to see Ramsey himself pushing a couple armed men towards the barn doors. They were both heavily armed and covered from head to toe in steel plated armor.

"We got company!" Arc climbed up on the Therizinosaurus.

Edward jumped on the elk while Kylie tried her best to clamber up on her kangaroo. Failing to do so several times, Kylie went for the next best option. She tossed the lead rope to Edward before jumping in the animals pouch.

"Seriously?" Arc snapped at her.

"Shut up and get ready!" She ducked her head inside the pouch to hide.

The gate door shuddered and there was the clamor of men trying to get the barn open. Soon the creaking gate started opening to the inside and footsteps could be heard walking in. Three men walked in and stared at them with grim faces. They hefted different weapons, but it wasn't the armed guards that worried them. Ramsey Buckler himself stepped out from behind the guards with his hands behind his back. He was a striking man, almost handsome and he wore hide clothes dyed black and white. His beard and mustache were well kept and he had his hair pulled straight back. The air about him was sophisticated, but deadly. Almost as if after he was done tasting wine with you he would go and butcher the meat they were having for dinner the next day.

"Well… Arc Sabor." Ramsey smiled. "Good to see you friend."

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	9. Chapter 9

**Please read and enjoy. ~ Scriffignano**

* * *

 **Chapter 9**

"Good to see you ol' friend." Ramsey smiled.

"I'm no friend of yours Ramsey." Arc kept calm, but there was an edge to his voice.

"No…? Even after all we have been through together? He stroked his beard. "I'm hurt."

"Yeah… my heart bleeds for you." Arc rolled his eyes. "What do you want Ramsey?"

"Come now Arc. You are my honored guests. Why on earth would you assume such a thing?" He continued his courtesy.

"Well for one you are being overly pleasant and second… we just trespassed and you haven't tried to kill us yet." Edward added. The edge in his voice was just as sharp as Arc's.

As his sentence finished three men armed with tranquilizer guns came out from the barn rafters and shot the animals that were to be stolen. All three dropped without a sound, stranding Arc, Edward and Kylie with no means of escape.

Edward drew his weapon while Arc helped Kylie get out from underneath the Kangaroo, but they all stopped when Ramsey snapped his fingers.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you Edward." Ramsey's face was as cold as steel. "We wouldn't want any casualties now would we."

"You know as well as I do that everyone in this room would be at our mercy in a fight." Arc sneered and drew his glaive.

"Yes… that is true. But Arc there is one thing I should mention." Ramsey snapped his fingers again, prompting two guards with special face shields to step forward. "If you attack… then I can't guarantee their safety."

Ramsey stepped aside to reveal Gears and Mavis held hostage with noose poles. The two little predators tried their best to break loose, but it was all in vain.

"Stunning little creatures you have here Arc. Exceptional quality really." Ramsey kneeled down next to them. "It would be a shame if anything were to happen to them."

"You rotten son of a bitch!" Arc went to tackle him, but was grabbed by the guards and handcuffed.

Edward and Kylie were cuffed in a similar fashion and escorted out of the barn with their weapons in tow. Ramsey followed as well and directed the guards to take them to a place called "the cauldron" inside the estate.

Arc and the others were taken to a huge circular office while their weapons along with Gears and Mavis were taken elsewhere. The room was made of wood, but had similar metal trim all over. The office was also adorned with a crystal candle lit chandelier above an engraved oak desk.

"Leave us." Ramsey shooed his guards away after they were all seated.

"But sir…" One of the guards attempted to speak out, but was immediately silenced.

Ramsey threw a dagger that hit the wall inches from the guard's neck. "Speak against me again and I will cut out your tongue."

The guards quickly left the group to Ramsey, giving the the privacy that he probably wanted. Wiping his brow with a cloth, Ramsey readjusted himself before undoing the restraints on his guests hands.

"Where is Gears and Mavis?" Ark glared at Ramsey. "And for that matter what do you want?"

"Your Dilophosaurs are safe… for now." Ramsey sat behind the desk and clasped his hands. "As for what I want… on what grounds do you think I want something?"

"Well for one you are a greedy bastard who will do anything for profit and secondly you haven't killed us yet for trespassing." Edward cut in. "I do believe we went over this in the barn."

Kylie stayed silent hoping that Arc and Edward would be able to keep his focus off her, but it was a false hope. Standing back up, Ramsey walked around the desk and eyed her up. She stayed stiff as a board, terrified for her life.

"I know many of the people that call this place home… Arc and Edward, The Titans, the other tribes, but you… that's a different story." Ramsey flicked her hair. "First thing I would love to know is your name." He kneeled down to be eye level with her.

Kylie looked at Edward and Arc for help, but they just had hardened inscrutable gazes. She then took the best course of action she could come up with.

"Kylie… Kylie Kendra." She spoke softly.

"Beautiful name." Ramsey got up and sat back down at his desk. " Tell me Miss. Kendra, how did you end up getting involved with this unfortunate lot?"

Arc's temper started to boil."Unfortunate? The Thunderhoof Traders are the most powerful-"

"Were the most powerful you mean." Ramsey cut him off. "Word traveled fast of your tribe's annihilation. I know all about it." He started picking his nails with a small knife. "Now if there are no more interruptions…. How did you come to get involved with the higher powers?"

"He saved me from Terror Birds and took me in."She said quietly.

"I see…" Ramsey looked over at Arc and Edward. "As for you two… you were right to presume that I wanted something." He clasped his hands together on the desk. "There is a rare animal that has been spotted in the south jungle and I want it."

"Oh joy. A capture request."Arc rolled his eyes. "You can't get your lackeys to do this? How pathetic are they."

"Very, but that's not the point. This animal is very secretive and doesn't like to show itself." He slid a rough sketch of the animal towards the three. "I hate to admit it, but you're the best in the business when it comes to animal wrangling."

"You gotta be kidding me Ramsey… You expect me to believe this is a real sketch? It looks like something a kid would draw."

Kylie snatched the picture before going wide eyed. "It's real alright. I've seen it myself."

"You're kidding me? There is no way an animal like this really exists." Edward was astonished.

"It's true… I saw it the day Roach was killed by Tyrannor. Tyrannor was actually chasing it." Kylie defended herself.

"But it looks like a dinosaur that mated with a camel… How can such a creature exist? It's unrealistic." Arc tossed the sketch back on the table. "You're a fool if you think I will be going on some wild goose chase."

"This wild goose chase is the only thing keeping you, your friends,and your Dilophosaurs out of the slaughter house Arc. I've tried playing nice with you, but it's clear you don't respond to reason!" Ramsey slammed his fist on the table. "So now you will know fear. Bring this animal back to the compound or your animals will never leave."

He then shot an angry glare at Kylie. "And to make sure there is no funny business… the girl stays here."

"You wouldn't…"

"Arc… it's fine. Just bend to the guy this once. We have bigger issues to deal with." Kylie submitted to Ramsey. "I'll be fine."

"At least one of you can be reasonable." Ramsey calmed down and held a gentle hand out.

She stood up and took Ramsey's hand. She held a straight face, but shot Arc and Edwards a wry smile before being escorted to the door.

"Alright. Now that everything is settled, I hope you two are going to cooperate with this." Ramsey slid back behind his desk. "It would be a shame to waste her trust in you two."

"Should we do it?"

"We have no choice. The guy has us by the sac and there is no way out. The sooner we do this the better." Arc gruffed. "Where was the animal last seen?"

"Headed south towards the red obelisk. My scouts have told me there have erratic shifts in local fauna behavior."

"Erratic shifts… that could mean we have an Introduction coming soon. Animals always act weird before an Introduction."

"We will need some equipment to get this done. Bolas , Narcotic, arrows or darts, food, and other supplies."

"Done. Look out the window."

Peering out the glass panel window, Edward and Arc saw two small piles of gear along with a saddled blunt nosed blue and green dinosaur.

"Pachyrhinosaurus… I guess it will do."

"You have a fortnight from today to bag this creature. If you don't return… well let's just say the consequences will be deadly. Not for you of course, but still."

With their captive meeting adjourned for now, Arc and Edward were once again handcuffed and escorted outside. Once there the two found their weapons that they had brought with them. Kylie was also there, but her hands were bound and a guard stood by with his weapon drawn. He even had the audacity to put the blade of his weapon up to her throat, pressing the cold steel against her skin.

Arc said nothing, knowing his temper would get the better of him, but glared at the guard all the while. He had to keep calm if this was going to be successful. So instead of saying anything at all, he threw the Pachyrhinosaur's reins to Edward and walked out of the compound.

"I hope he is successful… for your sake." Ramsey hissed as the two left. "Those Dilophosaurs though… they will be dealt with tomorrow."

"And for your sake… I hope you're smart enough to leave those animals alone." Kylie sassed back. "I can't guarantee your safety otherwise."

The two glared each other for a good moment or two before Ramsey huffed. "Lock her up."

The guards forcefully grabbed Kylie and led her to a secluded building in the far back corner of the compound. Inside there were empty cages lined with straw and some other equipment that looked like they could be used for torture. The only light was a single brazier where the guards huddled to talk and gamble.

"Stay there." The guards threw Kylie in a cell and slammed the door.

She stayed down and huddled in the corner. There was no way for her to escape do instead she tried to get some rest. She could only hope that her friends would come back soon.

Her eyes were soon heavy, the exhaustion of the day finally setting in. She gave in to her thirst for sleep and fell into her wakeless dreams. The crackling fire in the brazier was her only lullaby.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

She awoke with a start to see several men standing outside her cell door. Two of them held weapons at her while the third had a tray filled with food. After opening the door, the guard slid the tray in the cell and closed it.

She ate quietly keeping her gaze fixed on the armed men. They seemed almost afraid of her. It was as if she was actually the one in control despite being behind cell bars. The only one who didn't look afraid was a big brutish man sitting by the brazier. He eyed her up lustfully, making Kylie feel really uncomfortable. She wanted to run from the man's disrobing gaze, but there was nothing she could do about it for now. So instead she averted her gaze to eat in relative peace.

" _If he tries anything I'll fucking castrate him._ " She thought as she chewed on a piece of bread.

Things didn't get better after that. The brutish man made it a point to pass her cell several times. He was sizing her up much like a cat did a bird, but she knew what was going on. He was planning to take advantage of her.

"You know…" His voice was surprisingly suave. "It's been awhile since I've the pleasure of talking to a woman. Years in fact. What is your name beautiful?"

"None of your business." She hissed at him.

"Oh. I like them fiery." He laughed. "Don't worry hot stuff. You'll open up eventually. All women do."

She gruffed at him and turned back over. Despite his calm and rather alluring voice, she saw him as nothing more than a sleezey pig.

The man said nothing more and walked away, muttering to himself. She heard him say soon, but other than that his words were nothing but a jumble of sounds to her.

" _And after this guy I'm going to kill Arc and Edward if they take too long._ " Her thoughts wandered.

* * *

 *****As always, Please REVIEW. Any feedback is very helpful, appreciated, and valuable.**

 *****Seriously! The only way that I can improve or hear your thoughts on my story is if you tell me as a community. LET ME KNOW!**

 **If you want me to review a story you have written before you review mine, tell me!**

 **Got a crazy idea... I love crazy! Let me know.**

 **Want to collaborate on a chapter... Rock on**


	10. Chapter 10

**Please read and enjoy. ~ Scriffignano**

* * *

 **Chapter 10**

Kneeling down in the mud, Arc and Edward followed a promising set of tracks left by some herbivorous animal. Whether or not it was the animal they were looking for had yet to be discovered.

"Seems like it's headed south. Where though?"

"Seems like everything is headed south. Do you think we are in for an Introduction?"

"That can be my only guess." Arc got up and walked back to their loaned Pachyrhinosaurus. "It's the only logical explanation for a large assortment of animals to be migrating in any direction without danger or immanent starvation."

Arc then lent a hand out and hoisted Edward up into the saddle. The two then followed the tracks south towards the delta system where Roach was killed. The thought was still bitter for the two, but according to what Kylie told them the last sighting of this creature was mere moments before the attack.

"I feel like an idiot chasing down this creature. How do we know Ramsey didn't just make this up?" Arc reined the Pachyrhinosaurus to a tree where deep furrows marred the bark.

"You feel like an idiot for chasing an animal that looks too strange to exist?" Edward held a spyglass and examined the surroundings. "News flash Arc! We just had our ass handed to us on a fucking silver platter by a fire breathing Dodo three times bigger than a Tyrannosaur!"

"Must you rub that in?" Arc glared at him. "I know due well what happened to our tribe Edward. Don't berate me for this."

Arc then examined the furrows in the trees. While many animals leave markings on trees, this kind of mark could only been left by one animal.

"Kentrosaurus…"

"Where?"

"A whole herd by the looks of it. They are headed this way." He pointed at the myriad tracks in the mud.

"South… just like everything else in the area." Edward sighed. "This practically confirms that there is an Introduction coming soon."

"Our best chance of finding this crazy animal is if we head straight for the red tower. Only then can we fan out in every direction and hope to find this beast."

With Edward's agreement, the two made a beeline for the red tower as quick as their mount would allow. On the way they saw herds of many herbivorous dinosaurs join them. Even predators started to join, hugging the fringe of the mass migration before integrating themselves into the group. The entire thing was a sight to behold.

Tyrannosaurs walked alongside Parasaurolophus, Raptors shadowed Phiomias, and even a massive Quetzalcoatlus descended from on high to join the fray. The arrival of the giant pterosaur sparked an idea for Edward.

"Think we can wrangle the bird?" He whispered to Arc.

"Really Edward… you did not just call that a bird." Arc maintained a sarcastic tone. "That is a pterosaur and no… I don't think we can wrangle it."

The migration continued at a steady pace and it wasn't long before Arc caught sight of a familiar face. Towards the back of the migration group was a Tyrannosaurus Dominion with a scar along his brow that stretched to his neck. His dark brown skin with black markings made him blend fairly well, but a passing Utahraptor made his presence well known wit a few cackling screeches.

"Tyrannor?" Arc was shocked. "I'll be damned even he is drawn by the power of the towers."

As the massive migration moved south towards the towers, day started to give way to night. The sun was low on the western horizon and only because the light dimmed did the light given off by the tower become visible. Pulses of red light radiated from the tower and met in the center of the island along with the green and blue tower.

"It's almost time."

Animals gathered at the cliffs overlooking the tower base. In the sea there was a menagerie of sharks, fish, and even a few plesiosaurs circling the tower base. The light pulsed even faster as it got closer to midnight. While there was no clocks or watches on the island, the full moon served as a great substitute. As soon as it reached its highest point, three lunar beams pulsed outwards to touch the top of the towers. The night sky lit up as a hexagonal patterned barrier revealed itself.

Light gathered at the center to create a giant A with cryptic markings on it. The three points of the letter were green, blue, and red to match the towers.

" _Greetings Survivors._ " giant gold text appeared in the sky. " _New beasts have arrived to the island._ "

The text disappeared and book pages appeared in the sky. As the pages blew up to a more readable size, spheres of light followed the hexagonal pattern down the towers to the pedestal at the base

" _The Daeodon._ "

Huge boar like animals appeared from the pedestal base and ran down the platform ramps, squealing all the while. They had bristling hair and sharp teeth lined their mouth.

" _The Megalania._ "

Following the pigs were giant lizards, bigger than any Komodo Dragon ever seen. They even looked big enough to ride.

" _The Giant Bee._ "

As its name suggests, massive queen bees along with their armies of drones swarmed from the pedastal. Each one was armed with a stinger as big as a railroad spike.

" _The Yutyrannus._ "

After the bees came what looked to be big fluffy Allosaurs. They were taller though and held a similar heir to power that a rex held. As they exited the obelisk platform, one roared loudly, sending shivers down Arc and Edward's spine. Several of the smaller animals fled while bigger ones shuddered at the bellowing roar.

" _The Equus._ "

"Wait… Equus?" Arc was in disbelief.

Sure enough, the last species of animal to leave the obelisk platform was a herd of primitive horses. They were husky and shaggy like draft horses and held onto their primitive stripes. What was more amazing was that at the back of the herd was a pure white Equus. It had a spiraling horn protruding from its forehead and seemed elegant compared to the others.

"That's a frickin Unicorn!" he shouted.

"Arc… look." Edward pointed to the right of them.

Arc took his eyes off the unicorn only for a moment only to see another creature that shouldn't exist. It was the beast they were forced into chasing by Ramsey.

"I'll be a son of a bitch. The bastard wasn't lying at all." Edward was astonished. "The beast does look like a Triceratops had mated with a camel."

The lights started to fade and the barrier that guarded the island disappeared from the sky. Things were returning to normal which scared Arc and Edward.

"We have to move."Arc was furious.

He wanted that unicorn something fierce, but catching the strange beast was a top priority. It wouldn't be an issue at any other time, but there was a big problem with an Introduction. The animals started to turn on each other as the obelisk's effects started to wear off. The Utahraptors were the first to return to normal and instinctively pounced on any prey they could take down. The smell of blood wafted through the air as animals that were once acting as friends now turned to kill each other.

"I hate the culling after an introduction!" Edward swore as he stabbed an angry Pegomastax in the neck. "This whole place is going to reek of spoiled meat for weeks.

"And our target is going to be among the casualties if we don't move!" Arc pointed at a pair of thick skinned Sarcosuchus slowly cornered the beast up against the cliffs.

Without another word, Arc and Edward charged into the bloodbath to go and capture the beast before the crocodiles could make a meal out of it. As they closed in, the two skilled survivors cut down several Troodons and skewered a leaping Pegomastax. Tyrannor ran at them, but the two were not his intended target. The tyrant king ran past them and broadsided an unfortunate Iguanadon with his mouth agape. Arc and Edward paid no mind to the animal's cry for help. The survival of the strange beast came first and now its life is being threatened. The sarcos gave low bellows as they jaws opened, but they never saw the survivors coming. Edward was first to strike, risking his arm by running around the beast and stabbing it the mouth. His sword punctured the brain cavity leaving it to convulse as the crocodile passed into the void.

Arc was second to strike and he was even more insane than Edward was. Jumping like a monkey would, he landed on the sarco's back and wrapped his glaive around the animal's neck. Struggling with all his might, Arc tried to suffocate the crocodile, but he was having very little success in doing so. After about forty five seconds of struggling, he was thrown by the Sarcosuchus. It was surprisingly fast and managed to grab Arc's arm in its jaws.

"Oh no you don't!" He grit through the pain and wrapped the rest of himself around the animal's snout.

In his mind, if he was going to get bit, it better be only once. Much like the modern crocodiles he learned about from books, Sarcosuchus had strong bites, but couldn't open their mouth if there was any pressure holding them together. Edward tried to get involved to help, but Arc shooed him away with his hand.

"This fucker is all mine! Don't let our quarry get away!" Arc punched the croc with his free hand, aiming for the eyes of the beast.

"Are you nuts?! There is no way you can take on that Sarcosuchus by yourself!" Edward tried to reason with him, but the man wasn't having it.

The humped animal bellowed in fear and reared up on its hind legs. With what seemed to be a ton behind it, the beast crashed down on the ground and trotted away with surprising speed. Edward had no choice at this point. He either had to abandon the hunt to save and piss off Arc to no end or risk losing his best friend on the island to try securing Lily's safety from Ramsey' maniac tendencies.

Sheathing his sword, Edward ran after the humped animal with a long rifle in hand. He knew which of the two was worse and Arc was not to be trifled with. He only needed one good shot to the neck to put the animal into a narcotic coma which will make it easier to bend the animal to their will. Luckily the two don't have to train the animal, just catch and deliver it.

The beast kept its brisk pace for well over a mile before it finally decided to calm down and start browsing again. Being fairly far away from the chaos, Edward felt that he was safe enough to drop the beast here for taming. He slowly pulled his rifle that he obtained from Ramsey' borrowed goods and lined the sights up on a bulging vein in the animal's neck. While it was night, the light given off by the full moon was enough that the average survivor didn't need a torch unless they were in the deep woods. Putting his finger on the trigger, he waited for the pause between breaths before firing.

The dart spiraled out of the barrel with hardly a sound and sailed towards its target. Striking with a dull pop, the dark hit the sinewed neck of the strange animal just above the vein he was intending for.

"Crap. I didn't hit the vein!" Edward scrambled from his hiding place.

The beast reared up and bellowed loudly like it did previously. Before it could run away though, Edward threw himself at the animal and grabbed the bony plates that made up its brow.

"You're not going anywhere without me!" He tried his best to hold on.

As the narcotics in the dart started to take effects, the beast grew more and more exhausted. Finally after trying to shake Edward for while, it collapsed and fell to the ground.

Edward let go, his muscles aching from exerting himself so hard in trying to keep the animal from running.

"That's right tough guy… You're mine." he leaned down and stared into the beast's eye.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Is this the best you can do?!" Arc was still wrestling with the Sarcosuchus that had a death grip on his arm.

The pain he felt was terrible, but if he didn't keep fighting he was going to die. Again he tried to punch the reptile into letting him go, but it wasn't working at all. Finally having enough, he loosened his grip slightly and pulled his leather handled knife from his waist. The sarco took advantage of this though and slammed his head into the ground.

"Die!" Arc plunged the knife in the Sarcosuchus eye and twisted blade around.

The reptile hissed with pain before letting go and running back to the water with his knife still in its eye. While he was mildly upset at the loss of his knife, he was grateful that he still had his arm. It was bloody and filled with holes, but thankfully this island seemed to give the human body an unnaturally fast ability to heal. Some have even said you can regrow entire limbs with enough time, but Arc didn't want to test the theory. The wolf bite had healed and scarred over in four days time so this shouldn't take too long at all.

He tried to stretch out, but his left arm wasn't able to move right. He tried to pick it up, but no sooner than he touched it he realized that the damn Sarcosuchus had dislocated it.

" _Fuck… that's going to screw me over for awhile._ " he grit his teeth.

Holding his limp arm close, Arc picked his way back to where they left the Pachyrhinosaurus that was lent to them by Ramsey using his glaive as a walking stick. The animal was still there, but it was dead. Holes riddled its entire left side of the animal's corpse and their supplies were gone, but there was no sign of any sort of struggle. Upon further examination the seasoned survivor concluded that human made arrows had killed the animal and not a predator. An arrow head was still embedded in the animal's hide as well.

"No mount, no shelter, low supplies, and my arm is screwed up…" He sighed and followed the tracks left by the strange beast. "This day is off to a fantastic start and now I think Ramsey is out to sabotage us." he held up the arrow head, recognizing the handiwork of point.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

" _This has gotta be the strangest thing I've ever seen… no way that's normal._ " Edward thought to himself as he examined the downed beast.

While checking the overall health of the animal, Edward had pressed down on the soft hump on the animal's back. He thought nothing of it until he noticed that his hand was wet. At first he thought it was blood, but the liquid was clear and had no smell to it. It almost looked like water, but he wasn't about to taste it.

Arc arrived about an hour later, and he looked terrible. His left arm was soaked with blood and he was covered in dirt. He looked as if he had been through the sixth ring of hell, which was a pretty accurate analogy being that he had just fought off a fifty foot crocodile on his own.

"Glad you could make it." Edward looked past his companion. "Where is the Pachyrhinosaurus?"

"Dead, filled with holes and the supplies have been ransacked. Someone is trying to sabotage us." He tossed the arrow head before sitting on the ground. "Also I lost my knife."

"This… this arrowhead is the same as the ones used by Ramsey and his goons."

"Exactly…" Arc then looked let the beast. "What a strange animal."

"That's not even the strangest part… look." Edward pressed down on the humps of the animal.

Liquid oozed from the humps and drained on the ground. Arc looked in astonishment then did it himself. After pressing a few times he cupped some of the liquid in his hand. He paused for a moment before drinking the liquid.

"Gross man! You have no idea what that was!" Edward was completely disgusted.

"Its water… I can't believe this. The beast is a living water tank." Arc was astonished. "What would make it adapt an ability like this?"

"Desert life perhaps?"

"But there is no desert on the Ark… this is really strange."

"Strange or not… this animals exists. What do we call it though?"

Arc thought for a moment before he snapped his fingers. He then pressed the implant in his hand and aimed it at the beast. He waited for a few moments before pressing the implant again.

"It's a… Morellatops." Arc contemplated the name. "Not sure what it is, but that's what the information provided by my implant tells me."

Edward looked at his own implant and sighed. He had not used his as much as Arc has so he was not completely sure on how to scan animals yet. It was a skill he left to Arc since he spent more time doing the animal training than he did.

"So we downed the Morellatops Ramsey wanted. Now what do we do? We have no ride back and this beast is going to be in no condition to ride back."

"We're going to have to ride this animal back. Either that or find another mode of transportation. Walking is out of the question at this point…" Arc looked at his handicapped arm. "We can discuss this tomorrow. For now let's get some rest."

The rest of the night came and went in silence. Morning brought with it the calls of screeching Icthyornis as they looked for food along the beach.

Arc woke slowly, feeling nothing but aches and pains from the previous day. His whole left side was bruised and his shoulder was still hurting him immensely despite having popped back into place while he slept.

"Morning." Edward had a fire going and the Morellatops already had a makeshift halter made of thin willow branches and plant fibers.

It was tied to a thick tree to keep it from running, but seemed content browsing on the nearby bushes. It's thick beak sliced through the shrubbery like a hedge cutter, stripping the low plants of their leafy greens.

"Morning." Arc held his ribs and winced as he sat down.

"You look like hell this morning."

"I feel like it. How long have you been up."

"Never went to sleep." Edward sighed.

"Dude… you need rest. The hell is wrong with you?"

"Well someone had to make sure fatass over there didn't bolt. So I spent the night crafting up a harness."

"Fine… but if you don't get any sleep soon I'm going to hit you with a wooden club."

Edward chuckled, but there was still a dark truth they needed to deal with. The duo needed some way to get home. The Morellatops was big and strong enough to ride back, but their legs would be rubbed raw without a saddle.

"We need to get back… we've spent too much time out here as is and animals are going to be prowling around again…"

Edward stood and went to the edge of the hill overlooking the beach. He saw a few Dilophosaurs and a dodo, but nothing that would be strong enough to carry their weight.

"What about a horse?" Arc suggested as he poked the fire. "That herd couldn't have gotten too far by now."

"Think you can catch one of them?"

"Almost as easily as a hook catches a fish." Arc gave a sly grin. "The trick is finding them."

Arc then set to work grabbing some apple sized rocks and clicking them together. He then gathered some fibers and wove them together in a tight braid.

"Think you can carve me a few strips of hide from the obelisk?"

Edward winced at the idea, but complied with a can do attitude. The carnage from the previous night was sure to attract predators, but getting the hide strips was of the utmost importance.

Arc in the meantime finished his plant weaving and looked to track the animal he wanted. Using his spyglass, Arc scanned the surroundings for any sign of Equus activity. The beach turned up blank and so did the surrounding hills.

"Maybe they are deeper in the woods." He walked deeper into the treeline to see what he could find.

The cackling calls of Utahraptors could be heard for miles along with the rhythmic thumping noise of larger animals. Arc decided to follow a game trail filled with assorted tracks to see what he could find. It was slow going, but he did have some success. A hoofprint was hidden amongst the hodgepodge of tracks that riddled the trail and some long tail hairs were hooked on the bark of nearby trees.

"Okay… got them." he hurried back to meet up with Edward.

Back at the fire pit, Edward sat on a rock with a pile of hide strips next to him. His arms were covered in blood up to his elbows and he smelled something fierce, but there was plenty of hide to work with.

Once Arc arrived he set about weaving the hide with fiber and tying them to the stones he gathered earlier. He was making a bola. To him they were perfect for snagging high speed animals with minimal effort and risk. Checking the weight of his contraption, Arc tossed the bola at a tree. The tied stones wrapped around the branches like an octopus would around crab legs.

"Good." Arc was pleased with his handiwork.

After that, the two banked the fire and set off to find the herd. Arc took lead while Edward followed behind him with the Morellatops. The animal while able to keep up, made a lot of noise. The two were worried that it would spook the herd so they put about a hundred and fifty yards between each other to reduce the amount of noise they made.

"I spotted the track here and it seems they are moving north." Arc dragged the butt of his glaive through the dirt. "Once we find them, we may need to corral them at the cliff face."

"I'll go around them and you will use the Morellatops as a big meat shield to block their exit in the event I miss with the bola." He continued to draw out the plan. "We are only going to need one. Hopefully horses here are a lot like the ones I know and love."

Once the plan was drawn up, Arc and Edward moved forward at a crawl until they reached the edge of the deep woods where the thick oaks and willows mingled with taller and thinner birch trees.

" _I still can't believe this place has modern trees._ " Arc thought as a leaf fell on his head.

The two skirted the birch trees while trying to keep the game trail in their line of sight. It was tedious with the tall grass, but their persistence eventually paid off. A few hundred yards from the cliffs overlooking the beach roamed a small herd of primitive horses. There were seven individuals ranging in color from deep orange with grey stripes to almost pure white with black stripes.

"There they are, but where is the unicorn I saw?"

"There he is." Edward pointed to a snow white stallion with a spiraling horn on its forehead at the edge of the herd.

"That's the one I want." He smiled.

Without another word, Arc crept wide around the herd with his bola in hand. He only had one shot so he needed to make it count. Sneaking up as close as he could, he waited until the group bent their heads down to feed before leaping into action. He stood up and shouted to make the herd pause with fear. That moment's pause was all he needed. He threw the bola as hard as he could, snaring the mystical horse's legs together. The rest of the herd bolted up the ridge, leaving the stallion to his fate.

Arc knew the bola wouldn't hold for long so he risked getting kicked in the face and jumped on the animal's back. The unicorn panicked and bucked around even though his front legs were still inhibited by the bola ropes.

"Easy boy! Easy!" Arc rode through the tantrum, using his seat to match the up and down motion of each kick.

The bola snapped and then all hell broke loose. To keep himself from getting thrown like a rag doll, Arc grabbed the animal's coarse mane and kicked with his legs in rhythm with the bucking action. Each kick moved the animal at the shoulders and propelled him forward. Slowly but surely the bucks got smaller and smaller until Arc had the unicorn galloping in a circle instead of bucking around. The gallop eventually broke down to a slow canter before he had the unicorn trot out the rest of his uneasiness.

He worked the animal until he felt it was safe to stop. If he were to bolt on them now, then there would be no chance of getting him back. To make sure he wouldn't leave without a fight, Arc took the other end of the rope the Morellatops was tied to and made a simple two loop halter. Now Edward and Arc had a ride back to Buckler's base.

"I hope Kylie s doing okay." Arc hoisted himself on the unicorn.

"I'm sure she's fine. It's Ramsey we should be worried about. The fucker may cut us down as soon as we get back to his base." Edward climbed up as well and sat backwards on the unicorn.

"We won't be able to approach the compound with Beau here."

"Beau?" Edward cocked an eyebrow.

"What? That's what I'm going to call him." Arc was surprisingly defensive. "Is that a problem?"

"He's your horse. Call him whatever you want." Edward merely rolled his eyes as the two trotted off back to deliver the Morellatops.

* * *

Meanwhile...

"What's the matter with you guys?" Ramsey shouted with a condescending tone. "They are just Dilophosaurs."

"I've never seen Dilophosaurs this vicious before. They've already put two of our men in the infirmary." A wrangler held back a small crested dinosaur with a noose pole.

Her mate was equally ferocious, repelling the wranglers by spitting acid and biting. The goal was only to transfer the animals from their small cage to a holding pen, but Ramsey was starting to think that the two animals were not worth it.

" _These two will have to go even if they are Arc's trusted hunters. His loss..._ " Ramsey thought to himself as he reached for his pistol.

"Sir! What are you doing?" A guard captain saw that Ramsey drew his pistol.

"Ending this Desmond. These Dilophosaurs are not worth the trouble." Ramsey pointed the firearm at Gears' head.

He pulled the hammer back and all was silent as a single shot echoed over the landscape for miles on end.

* * *

 *****As always, Please REVIEW. Any feedback is very helpful, appreciated, and valuable.**

 *****Seriously! The only way that I can improve or hear your thoughts on my story is if you tell me as a community. LET ME KNOW!**

 **If you want me to review a story you have written before you review mine, tell me!**

 **Got a crazy idea... I love crazy! Let me know.**

 **Want to collaborate on a chapter... Rock on**


	11. Chapter 11

**Please read and enjoy. ~ Scriffignano**

* * *

 **Chapter 11**

"Sir! What are you doing?" The captain of the guard saw that Ramsey drew his pistol.

"Ending this Desmond. These Dilophosaurs are not worth the trouble." Ramsey pointed the firearm at Gears' head.

He pulled the hammer back and fired a single shot. At the same time though another guard fired his crossbow and knocked the pistol from Ramsey's hand causing the bullet to miss Gears' head and strike the dirt instead.

"You…" Ramsey looked at the guard with contempt.

"I'm sorry sir… but you can't kill those two Dilos." the guard was terrified, but still spoke. "H-h-he would kill us all if you did that."

Ramsey said nothing as he picked up his weapon and holstered it. He then walked over to the guard and looked him straight in the eye. After a few nail biting seconds, Ramsey disengaged his stare and walked away.

"You're right… he would try to massacre the entire compound out of rage, but look at how many of us there are. Look at what we have built. It would take miracle for him to succeed." Ramsey started to sound inspiring. "Furthermore look at the creatures we have at our disposal. Our collection is so grand that not even those bastard Titans mess with us."

"No shit…" Desmond, the guard captain crossed his arms and leaned against a fence. "That's because the leader of the Titans is a dickless weasel. He'd rather use underhanded trickery than fight outright."

"Exactly. So the question I now ask is..." Ramsey paused his statement before pulling out a small dagger and throwing it at the guard who shot his crossbow.

The weapon impaled his chest, leaving the guard gasping for breaths as the wound sapped his life away. Ramsey knelt down and put a hand on the dying man's cheek.

"Shouldn't you have feared me more?" He asked as the man went limp and died there.

Ramsey then pulled his dagger free and wiped the blade clean. He sheathed his weapon and stared at the two Dilophosaurs.

"Put them in the pens for now… I'll deal with them later."

Ramsey and the other men continued their affairs while Kylie could only listen from the inside of her cage. She needed to escape and do it fast. Gears and Mavis were in trouble and she had a feeling she was going to be next. Her guard has done nothing but stare at her since she was locked up and it was obvious that the stare was lustful. It bugged her to no end, but there wasn't much she could do.

" _Can I tip the cage over?_ " She shook the bars, but it was firmly planted to the ground. " _Okay… how about untie the lashings?_ "

She tried to discretely tug at the lashings that held the cage together, but they were too thick and strong for her to deal with. She then started to consider another option. It was an awful and degrading option, but it might be enough to work. Especially with how others were staring at her.

Night came as swift as the shooting stars in the sky. The only light for miles was the moon and the torches that lit the encampment. Kylie's prison was still being guarded by only one man. Now… was the time to put her plan into action. Failure probably meant certain death, but she had to try.

" _I can't believe I'm about to do this…_ " She cringe to herself.

She then whistled a cute little catcall, drawing her guards immediate attention. Without saying nary a word, she called him over with one finger and undid the top lace that held her hide shirt together. The V neck split open and the laces fell to the side. Licking his lips, the guard started to sweat with what he saw. Kylie then pushed his primal instincts even further by slowly removing her shirt and flicking it to the side.

She kept her bra on though and slowly sat on the ground with her legs spread open, the fabric straining to stay together. The guard gasped and looked around nervously before taking a few nervous steps towards her cell. It was clear he wanted to see more, but couldn't find the words to speak. She was amazed how this once confident and suave idiot was now melting between her fingers like butter. Just yesterday he was being perverted towards her… now he was becoming her pet.

She pressed on with her act and slumped her head over while one arm slung behind her back. The other hand slowly crept between her legs and slid from her knee to her hip. Her hand then migrated to between her legs and pressed against the stretched fabric.

"Come here." She purred.

Without a pause to consider his actions, the guard grabbed his keys and opened the cell door. After closing it behind him, he continued to watch Kylie like a crazed dog staring at a steak. He wanted her. Needed her even. Every primal instinct in his body was going mad, but what little human reason he had left held him back… for now.

"I want you…" Kylie touched herself and looked at him with innocent eyes.

He was at his breaking point. Dropping to his knees, the guard got right up next to her and started to kiss and touch her. It felt dirty and degrading in her mind, but it was the moment she had been waiting for. While he was distracted, Kylie wrapped her arms and legs around the guard and slowly drew him close. She let out small fake moans of bliss while drawing a small sharp object from his belt. It felt like a blow dart or rounded shiv, but it was enough to get the job done.

"You smell so good." He whispered to her.

"Enjoy it… it's the last scent that will ever grace your nose." She whispered back.

The guard paused and went wide eyed as he realized what just happened. Kylie drove the sharp object into the guard's spine, killing him instantly and without a sound. His limp body fell forward, squeezing her against the cage wall.

" _Fuck you're heavy…_ " she pushed him off her and and adjusted her bra.

After getting reclothed and dusted off, Kylie searched the corpse. She was able to get his keys, his knife, and what seemed to be a sealed letter with a wax insignia on it. Once she finished her looting, she went and stomped on the guard's neck which gave a very satisfying crack. It was retribution in her eyes for looking at her with lustful eyes.

She then went ahead and sliced the implant out of his wrist. She knew not what drove her, but she felt inclined to take it. Once she had the knife belted around her waist, Kylie broke free from her cell and crept out of the small hut.

" _God that was disgusting…_ "She felt like a hundred showers would not clean her from that experience.

Braziers and torches lit up the compound, but there were plenty of spots to hide while she navigated her way out. Watching where her feet were, she slowly stalked around the edge of the base hoping to hear the chatters from Gears and Mavis. The problem was she had no idea where to look.

A single torchlight then caught her attention. A guard was coming so she hurried and slipped behind a nearby door before she was caught. The door closed with a dull thud and she sighed a breath of relief. Slipping between hallways and corridors, Kylie managed to find her way into Ramsey's office where they were briefed on whatever that strange creature was. The room was dark and ominous. The eyes of the many stuffed animal trophies glistened in the light of the moon and seemed to follow her every movement.

To keep out of sight, Kylie snuck around the inner walls of the office. The shadows were her friend, but she saw something on the desk that tempted her away from her endeavors to escape. A single letter on the desk caught her attention as she skirted by. She was drawn to it like a cat to a ball of yarn.

Taking the letter, she saw an insignia on the wax stamp that looked unique. It was a fist, but it held what appeared to be a broken lightning bolt. An odd insignia to her, but certainly an easy one she could remember. She had never seen it to, but it felt oddly familiar.

With her little heist finished, Kylie snuck back to the shadows to make her escape. She inched close to the door that led to the hallways they came through earlier, but there was an issue. Guards could be heard on the other side and it sounded almost like laughter. Realising that it may be a bad idea to go out the front door where everyone could see her, she slipped out the way she came and continued her escape. She ducked out of the huge mansion and almost straight into one of the guards. He had passed the door mere moments before she got out.

Realizing that the danger was starting to mount, Kylie quickly ducked behind another door hoping to keep herself out sight. Once the door clicked shut she let out a breath of relief…. Until she heard a low growl behind her.

Turning slowly, Kylie saw that the room she hid in was lined with shelves. On those shelves were eggs ranging from chicken eggs to bowling ball sized monstrosities. What was even stranger was that the room was being patrolled by big sail backed lizards. Each one had a mouth lined with sharp teeth, but they seemed docile. They were even comfortable to be around for a lack of a better term. The air temperature seemed perfect even though there was no modern technology to regulate it.

"This must be the nursery…" Kylie examined the eggs on the shelves.

She silently scanned the shelves and rummaged for anything useful. Among the eggs there were books on how to raise young animals written on parchment and recipes for kibbles, stews and other concoctions. It was a reader's paradise and as much as she wanted to delve the bank of knowledge she had to keep moving.

There was a commotion outside followed by yelling and screaming.

"She escaped!" Kylie heard outside"and holy shit!... she killed Glen!"

"Don't just stand there and gawk you idiots. Find the wench and bring her to me!" Ramsey could be heard as well.

It was crunch time now. The alarm has been sounded and the whole of the compound knew of her escape. Unsure of where to go, Kylie slipped behind another door which led to a narrow hallway. Following the course set for her, Kylie found herself in an open barn lined with giant chains and sharp hooks. Hanging from some of the hooks were hunks of flesh or even entire carcasses.

It was a grim sight, but it left Kylie wondering why this building was attached to the nursery. An area meant for the care and raising of young animals shouldn't be attached to the butchers barn.

" _Unless…_ " She thought on what Arc told her beforehand.

" _Any animal that doesn't make the cut are either put down or abandoned to their fate outside the compound_."

This is what he meant and she could see it now. Many of the carcasses hanging were infant animals only a few weeks old at best. They must've not had the traits he was looking for and were slaughtered here. Their flesh was then used to feed the other animals in the compound.

" _That ruthless bastard._ " She eyed up the lanterns on the wall.

She was considering the idea of setting the place ablaze when she heard chattering sounds from a dark corner. Using one of the lanterns to light the area, Kylie found a steel paddock filled to the brim with Dilophosaurs. Dozens of them were in the cage and a good percent of them were either emaciated or dead. Their ribs showed like xylophone keys and their cries were hoarse from lack of water.

It was an awful thing to behold, but there was some good news from all this horror. Towards the back laid two more Dilophosaurs curled in a ball, but they were plump and healthy. It was Gears and Mavis. Somehow, someway she was able to find them before they were killed, but they refused to move from the spot where they were.

There was something behind them and the other Dilophosaurs wanted it to the point where they were trying to attack Gears and Mavis.

The two hacked up globs of venom to keep the others at bay, but it was only a minor deterrence. Sooner or later they were going to get hungry enough to risk injury for nourishment.

Thankfully Kylie was able to prevent bloodshed amongst the small dinosaurs by opening the paddock door. The whole lot of hunters swarmed out of their confinements to feast on the dozens of carcasses that hung from the hooks. Their starvation knew no bounds and they fought amongst themselves to get the juiciest morsels.

Kylie took this opportunity to make a clucking noise with her tongue and get the attention of both Gears and Mavis. They both trilled with excitement and stood to greet her, running the length of their bodies down her side.

"Hey you two." She knelt down and pet their head crests. "You're okay now."

The two Dilophosaurs trilled and chattered before returning to the object of their previous protection. It was a small sack tied off with a thick rope and a weight on the end. It was strange that the Dilophosaurs were protecting it, but what was even stranger was that the bag was moving around. Small mewling cries came from the bag, but she didn't have time to peek inside.

Lights perforated the wooden walls of the slaughter barn and an audible slam came from behind her. Guardsmen were storming in to find her, their boots drumming against the floor.

"Time to stop these bastards once and for all!" She shouted with a vengeance.

Using a lantern from the wall, Kylie smashed it against the door causing an eruption of flames. The oil in the lantern splashed all over allowing the unleashed flames to spread like wildfire. The Dilophosaurs chattered with fear and huddled against the opposing wall. Kylie did as well after grabbing the tied bag. There was only one other way out and the barn door looked extremely rusted through. Kylie tried pulling and pushing it but it wouldn't budge at all. Now things have gone from really bad to worse than hell. She unintentionally put herself in a frying pan with no options of escape. Gears and Mavis huddled next to her while she held the odd bag close to her body.

* * *

Arc and Edward followed the game trail out of the forest back towards the Buckler Mansion to collect Kylie, Gears, and Mavis. While Arc led with his new steed Beau, Edward followed behind with the lumbering Morellatops.

"We need a place to hide Beau… Ramsey would go apeshit if he knew that Beau was part of the Introduction." Arc stopped his steed and looked at Edward.

"We can't exactly leave him in the woods to graze. The raptors around here would be on him like a fat guy on a sandwich." Edward leaned back, using the animal's humps like a lawn chair. "Ark damn it! My back is all wet again!" He swore, remembering that putting pressure on the animal's back makes it leak water.

Arc and Edward considered possible ideas when a thick pillar of black smoke caught their attention. Embers danced amongst the smoke like fireflies and an orange glow shone from the top of the tree line.

"Is Ramsey having a bonfire?" Arc was confused by the amount of light

"That's a little too much smoke for a bonfi-."

"The bitch set the barn on fire!" a voice could be heard from afar. "Slaughter her and those two little dinosaurs!"

Arc recognized the voice and his heart sank. Kylie had tried to escape and got herself into serious trouble. Edward had the same grim expression. An expression that said things were about to get really ugly really fast.

Without a word, the two spurred their steeds into a full sprint and bee lined for the compound. The thundering of hooves rang in their ears as the compound came into full view. Flames poured from the top of a barn that had been set ablaze and black smoke choked the air above.

Goading his stead to move even faster, Edward jumped off the Morellatops and slapped its hindquarters as the beast ran by. The animal bellowed and ran straight for the compound with Arc and his steed, Beau close behind. The Morellatops lowered its bony head like a battering ram and charged the gate, splintering it like toothpicks.

* * *

Ramsey's men scrambled around like mad ants as they tried to put out the fire while simultaneously trying to get the barn door open. They knew Kylie was still inside and Ramsey's bloodlust to kill her knew no bounds. He barked orders to get the gate opened so be could put two rounds in her skull.

Pushing and pulling with all their might, the door started to open inch by inch. As the men struggled to get the door open, Dilophosaurs started to pour from the burning building. Eventually they stopped coming and Kylie stepped out of the barn with a small bag in her arms. She was covered in soot and wheezing in an attempt to get the sharp shards of ash out of her throat.

"Seize her!" Ramsey ordered.

The men were on her and grabbed her by the arms and the back of her neck. She tried furiously to resist, but there were too many for her to take on her own. Gears and Mavis were also pinned down by several men. They took precautions to by wrapping thick pieces of leather around their snouts to muzzle them from using their venom.

"I guess I was wrong about you dear…" Ramsey spun the cylinder on his pistol. "You aren't as smart as I thought you were."

She tried to respond, but the men put a piece of leather in her mouth to gag her. She squirmed and moaned in an attempt to escape, but with four men holding her it was futile.

"Now… do I make this painless and kill you now?" Ramsey put his pistol to her forehead. "Or… should I make this a cruel and grueling process where you beg for mercy the entire time?" Ramsey then pointed his gun at her foot.

All of the men in the compound cheered for the second option, hoping to see Kylie squeal like the pathetic little girl they thought she was. Tears streamed down her eyes as Ramsey took aim at her arm. He pulled the hammer back, but as he was about to fire when a giant beast charged through the front gate, splintering the structure like it was built from twigs.

"Bloody hell!" Ramsey shouted as his attention turned to the noise.

The beast was exactly as the picture Ramsey had described, but his men had no idea what to make of it. Scared that the beast might eat them, many of them drew their weapons and started firing.

"Don't shoot you idiots! Ceasefire!" Ramsey desperately gave commands to prevent the beast's death.

The men stopped, but nothing could be done about the shots that had already been fired. Many of them only hit the animal's thick hide, but those that missed, hit its soft neck which proved to be fatal. The bulky animal wheezed as blood seeped into its throat before falling over dead. Arc and Edward then trotted in on a cream white stallion adorned with a spiralling horn and looked down at the fallen beast.

"Wow… you know we worked our asses off to get that for you." Arc sighed with a sarcastic tone. "If I knew you were going to kill it, We would have done that for you at the Introduction."

Ramsey was boiling at the moment. His barn was nothing but charcoal now, the babies in the nursery were deep fried, and now the mystery animal that he was yearning to get was now dead. How could all of his careful planning go up in flames so quickly.

"You know Ramsey… It's probably not healthy for you to clench your teeth like that." Arc continued his prodding. "Now if you would be so kindly as to hand over Kylie and my Dilophosaur companions… we will-."

"Fuck you Arc Sabor!" Ramsey had enough and pushed his men out of the way to grab Kylie by the hair. "I should kill you all right now!"

Arc and Edward stood perfectly still. They were scared and didn't know how far Ramsey was willing to go at this point. All it took was one command and they would be filled with more holes than a wheel of swiss cheese. Behind Ramsey though, Arc noticed that one of the guards looked rather scared. It wasn't Ramsey or Arc and Edward that he was looking at though. He held what appeared to be a letter in his hand with a small wax seal on it.

"Sir?" The man had fear in his voice.

"Silence! I want to enjoy this." Ramsey had a crazed bloody look in his eye.

"Sir! Who is Rentar and why is this letter addressed from the leader of the Titans Tribe?" The man unknowingly spoke out at the wrong time and to the wrong people. Every man and woman in the vicinity paused and looked at the man who just spoke. The situation became tense to the point where the only thing that could be heard were crickets.

"Rentar?" Arc repeated the name. "Are you sure it says that name?"

"Don't say another word you fool." Ramsey turned his attention to the gentleman who was holding the letter.

"Yes… it says Rentar… it also says something about supplying a hallucinogenic to poison water troughs."

Ramsey said nothing more and shot the guard in the head before addressing the rest of the compound. "Anyone else want to go and say anything?!"

"You've been helping the Titan?!" Arc was furious. "You're the reason my tribe is gone!"

"Yes... I'll admit it!" Ramsey seemed almost proud of it. "I supplied the poison that caused your animals to go insane on that day and draw you out of your camp!" He had a devilish grin. "The King of Carnage himself asked me to do it in exchange for his undying business. I supplied him with good dinosaurs and he made us fucking rich. Taking out the Thunderhoof Traders was just icing on the cake!"

"We had families. You wiped out entire generations in mass genocide!" Arc was almost crying. "And for what?! To make yourself rich!"

"Oh I was already rich Arc… but since you brought it up. You want to know the true reason I did it? Because it felt fucking good to be rid of you finally!" Ramsey laughed. "After all that time of dealing with your pitiful group of misfits to the south, it felt like ecstasy to see your tribe burn to ashes like the plague you are!" He spat at the ground.

Arc broke into a mad sprint and tackled Ramsey to the ground. Kylie was taken down to, but she scrambled away while the two grappled with each other. Arc then grabbed Ramsey around the neck and squeezed for all that he was worth. He tried to get Arc off him by bucking his hips and clawing at Arc's face, but it wasn't working. As the man slowly started to lose consciousness, Arc changed tactics and used both of his fists to punch the downed man. One after the other, Arc punched Ramsey till he was bloody and almost horrifying to look at.

"Arc, stop!" Edward grabbed Arc by his arm and pulled him off. "It's not worth it!"

"It's all your fault!" Arc screamed while being held back by Edward. "You murderous piece of shit! I'll kill you!" Tears streamed down his face.

The men and women of the compound said and did nothing as the drama continued. They all knew that Ramsey was capable of some pretty atrocious acts, but this was something completely out of of any normal standards.

"Would you follow a man who slaughters children?!" Arc spoke to the people of the compound. "He was willing to kill anyone who stood in his way! You are all nothing but pawns to him, a means to an end!" He paused to wipe his eyes. "You are all faced with a choice… Free yourself to become true survivors of the Ark, or follow this man into whatever hell pit he leads you to!"

The men and women said nothing, but dropped their weapons and clapped at Arc's short speech. It wasn't exactly inspirational or motivating, but it revealed the truth that had been hiding all this time. Their leader was the worst of men and they were not going to sink that low. Some of them were even shedding tears of joy. They had been working for Ramsey out of fear, but now they were finally free to live their lives.

As the men and women of the base cheered for their freedom, Arc turned his attention back to Ramsey who had sat back up. He was dripping blood from his many wounds and his Dilophosaurs could smell it. Not only could they smell it, but so could the pack of Dilophosaurs that were standing off to the side. They all hissed and crept closer and closer to Ramsey, but stopped once Arc whistled at them.

"Go on… Kill me." Ramsey spoke with a hoarse voice.

Arc walked over to Beau and pet the unicorn's rough mane. "That would make me no worse than you are Ramsey."

"You're a coward. Won't even finish the job will you?" He chuckled.

"No coward… I just know when I've had my fill of death." Arc jumped up on his mount's back.

A lone whistle came out from the crowd of men and women. His captain, Desmond stepped forward and pointed at Ramsey before whistling again. The Dilophosaur pack clicked and hissed before stalking closer to Ramsey again.

"I never said anything about him though!" Arc pointed at the guard captain.

"You've brought shame upon us all Ramsey Buckler. See you in hell." Desmond walked away as a hoard of Dilophosaurs swarmed Ramsey and started tearing him to shreds.

All you could hear was the muffled cries of Ramsey as the hoard of crested hunters feasted on his body. After about a minute of struggling, he laid still and his cries turned to gurgling as blood clogged his chest cavity.

The men and women of the Buckler Mansion cheered and thanked Arc, Edward, and Kylie for helping them. Many of the men told stories of his abusive habits and the women had it even worse. Turns out he would often rape the women for his own personal pleasure. The three could only hope it would get better for them over time.

While Arc and Edward spoke with the people around them, Kylie took the time to get the muzzles off Gears and Mavis. The two make clicks and chatters before nuzzling the bag which was still moving around and making mewling noises. She peered inside the bag and went wide eyed with what she found.

"Arc, Edward… Look what I found." She waved them over.

Her two compatriots walked over as she dug around in the bag. After a second or two more, Kylie turned around and held a pair of fluffy cat-like cubs in her arms. The two were very bulky for kittens and their mouths were lined with boltcutter like teeth. They had long claws on each of their digits and strong thick tails The one on her right was light brown with black stripes and a cream underbelly. On the left was its sibling, but it was black with blood red stripes and had an vibrant cyan blue underbelly.

"Aren't they adorable?" She cooed at the two.

"They are… and they will be fierce hunters when they grow up. These are Thylacoleo cubs." Edward scratched them under their chins, much to their delight.

* * *

 **I need names for the Thylacoleo cubs and mount ideas for Edward. please leave suggestions in your reviews.**

 *****As always, Please REVIEW. Any feedback is very helpful, appreciated, and valuable.**

 *****Seriously! The only way that I can improve or hear your thoughts on my story is if you tell me as a community. LET ME KNOW!**

 **If you want me to review a story you have written before you review mine, tell me!**

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 **Want to collaborate on a chapter... Rock on**


	12. Chapter 12

**As always... Please read and enjoy ~ Scriffignano**

* * *

 **Chapter 12**

Three days had passed since Ramsey was killed by a swarm of Dilophosaurs and the compound was freed of his reign of terror. Since then the place has been a swarm of activity. The men and women that worked under Ramsey Buckler were now free to leave if they wished or stay within the walls. Few left, deciding that they wanted to make a new life for themselves that wasn't tainted by the past. The rest of them stayed, realizing that they could take what Ramsey had built and reforge a new life for themselves.

White banners hung from the outside walls and merriment could be heard within as groups of people gathered around the central bonfire. A whole Phiomia had been roasted on a spit and other dishes were prepared for a feast. The cause of celebration was liberation. The shackles of slavery had been broken and now freedom danced through every person and animal in the compound. The dances lasted late into the night until everyone was so tired they passed out where they stood in the compound.

Arc woke the next morning with grass stuck in his hair and a mug in his hand. His head throbbed and there was black soot all over his body. The barn that was burnt by the fire Kylie caused had been cleaned up, but there was still charcoal dust where the building once stood. The chunks of charcoal had been reused to make dyes and gunpowder for the men and women who still resided within the base.

"Ow my head..." Arc placed a hand on his forehead and massaged his headache.

Once he got his bearings he looked around only to find that Edward was also down for the count as well. He looked worse off than Arc did, but it might be because he had more alcohol than he did. Several other people were strewn about, but Kylie was nowhere to be found at the remnants of the party.

"She must've gone to bed inside." He struggled to his feet and slowly hobbled towards the mansion.

Once inside, he peered around to see if he could find her or the two Thylacoleo cubs she was now raising. After Ramsey was killed, it was revealed by one of the guards that the cubs were orphans. The parents had been sold off to another tribe right after the two were born and chances are the parental bond was never made.

Kylie was horrified by this and decided at that moment to take full responsibility for their upbringing. The brown one with black stripes and cream belly was male. He was bulkier than the other one so Kylie ended up giving him the name Aggro. The other one was female and with that black coat, red stripes, and cyan belly, Kylie gave her the name Connie. No clue why, but she liked the name so much that she had to use it.

Arc peeked around the door to the master bedroom and found Kylie sprawled out across the bed as if she was a cat herself. A thick fur blanket covered her midsection, leaving only her head and feet hanging out. It was a rather amusing sight, but Arc suppressed the urge to laugh as he walked over to the side of the bed. Under her arms were the cubs. They were nuzzled up against her much like they would to their own mother.

Arc sat on the bed and tapped Kylie on the forehead twice and shaking her shoulder to get her up.

"Kylie… wake up." he said calmly.

She groaned and swatted him away with her hand before rolling over. He smiled and tried again, only to get a more aggressive swat of her hand and a louder groan. After a few more attempts, Arc sighed and moved to more extreme measures. Grabbing an ornate shield and a sword that was hanging on the wall, Arc smacked them together to produce a loud metallic bang. The sound echoed and made Kylie jump out of the bed with weapon in hand. It was then that Arc realized that he had made a really big mistake.

He figured that since her feet and legs were exposed she was more than likely not wearing much while she slept. What he didn't know was that she didn't have anything on at all under that blanket. The two stared at each other for a brief moment before a high pitched scream resonated through the entire western beachfront. Birds and dinosaurs alike fled from the scream which was followed by a series of sharp words and breaking objects.

About an hour later, Arc was found later in the stables by Edward. He had several bandages on his arms and there was a square bandage patch on his cheek. He was grooming Beau when Edward approached, but didn't say a thing as his good friend passed by.

"The fuck happened to you?" Edward leaned against a hay bale. "I know I wasn't that drunk to have been the cause of it."

"Shut it Edward… I don't want to talk about it." Arc worked the brush into Beau's thick shaggy coat. "Word of warning… Kylie is in a bit of a bad mood right now."

On cue, Kylie stormed in and walked passed them as if they didn't even exist. The only one she acknowledged was Beau and even that encounter was brief. Edward shifted uncomfortably and decided to try and break the tension.

"Sleep well?" He asked with caution.

She said nothing while she rummaged through the equipment in the stable. She tossed things behind her as if they were nothing but trash until she found something she was apparently looking for. It was a fiber mesh bag with a sharpened metal sickle tied to it.

"I'm going out for a bit." She said with a sharp tone as she shouldered the bag.

Kylie then left the barn without saying another word. Aggro and Connie, the Thylacoleo cubs were waiting by the door and eagerly followed her out into the wilds outside the compound. Arc and Edward watched her leave with a blank stare. Edward then turned to look at Arc, but he didn't say anything to help understand the situation.

"Well… she's pissed." Arc muttered before returning to his task.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Kylie hacked at at the long grass outside the compound with anger and contempt. She was well over the fact that Arc had see her without any garments. She was upset with how he woke her up. Clanging a sword on a shield isn't exactly how she pictured waking up after a long night.

She grumbled and sulked as she worked, wallowing in her bad mood while she bagged the thick fibrous plants in her canvas bag. Even though she was in a nasty mood though, she kept a watchful eye on Aggro and Connie. The two Thylacoleo cubs were very mischievous by nature and loved getting into everything. Aggro was more adventurous than Connie was, but wherever he went she followed.

They jumped over logs and chased dragonflies until their heart was content before running circles around each other and rough housing. It was funny to watch, but with so many other animals around, it was hard to tell friend from foe and that lack of knowledge could be a death sentence.

She looked at the leatherbound book that sat in a pouch on her waist. She was given the book by Arc, but never really took the time to read more than a few pages out of it to understand the animals that she had come across. It wasn't that the book bored her, but with all that's happened the past two weeks or so, there wasn't really much time to read. Between traveling, fighting off threats, and fire breathing monsters that make the moon change colors, a book was the last thing on her mind.

"I'll start reading it when I get back…" She thought to herself while she plucked a few purple Mejo berries off a bush.

In that moment she got lost in thought though, the cubs had wandered off together. She looked around frantically, but the only thing she found was their footprints. Following them led her to an enormous sight. A robust long necked reptile with a whiplike tail stood over the cubs as it grazed. It didn't even seem to notice them as it lazily munched on the low lying branches and ferns.

Kylie sighed a breath of relief and tried to coax them to her. They were daft to her calls though and continued to play beneath the big animals girth. Seeing the possible danger of getting stepped on, Kylie snuck closer to the animal in hopes of snatching the two cubs by the scruff of their necks.

Thankfully the animal was as dopey as it looked. The behemoth lazily munched on plants completely oblivious to everything else around him. Kylie was able to get underneath it as well and grabbed Connie by the scuff of her neck. The cub yowled and lashed out with her sharp claws, but missed completely. She went for Aggro next, but when the cub dodged her hand he placed his tail right where the dopey sauropod was going to place his big foot. Aggro squealed loudly in pain which triggered the long neck to lift his foot.

Out of curiosity, the animal swung its head around and stared at the three of them. It seemed delighted by their presence and immediately tried to nuzzled up against them. Unfortunately it's version of a friendly nuzzle sent Kylie and Connie flying twenty feet back.

"Time to split!" Kylie seized the cubs under her arms and ran away from the sauropod.

When she took off though, she dropped the bag of fiber and she was headed the wrong way. Instead of running towards base she was headed deeper into the woods. It was good in a away though because the long necked animal couldn't follow her well without crashing into trees too big to knock over. She did get clocked in the back once though. The animal snaked its long neck up behind her and gave her a friendly nuzzle. Unfortunately a friendly nuzzle to such a massive sauropod is like getting hit with the arm of a crane to a human. She flew about twenty feet forward and rolled down a steep hillside with the cubs still in her arms.

Kylie used her arms and body to shield Aggro and Connie from most of the punishment the hill dealt. Right before she hit the bottom, she felt a sharp piercing pain in the back of her shoulder followed by a warm wet spot forming. At the bottom she laid still as she gasped for air. Her whole body hurt from the tumble, but her shoulder was especially bad. The wet spot was getting bigger on Kylie's shoulder. The cubs wiggled from under her arms and Aggro in particular had red wet streaks along his side. Patches of fur were caked with red liquid which signified that someone amongst them was bleeding.

"Why am I in so much pain?" She reached around with her other arm and felt a hard wooden object embedded in her shoulder.

Somehow Kylie had gotten stabbed by a sharp stick on the way down and the end of it had broken off in her shoulder. She tried to pull it, but the pain she felt was great. It felt better to leave her arm be and just not move it at all. It was a strange feeling. It was painful, but the blood that seeped from the wound was warm in the misty environment.

"Now what? I'm lost in the woods and I have no protection other than my club. My left arm is injured and I have no idea about half of the animals that live around here." She cursed her stupidity for not reading the book given to her sooner.

The saying "what you don't know won't hurt you" doesn't apply anymore. Now what you don't know will probably get you killed in the end. She had to get moving if she wanted to stay alive. The scent of blood was now in the air and it is ringing all sorts of dinner bells for the predators on the island.

Kylie rose to her feet despite the struggle and hobbled down a game trail that hugged the cliffside. Eventually she would find a way back up so she could head back home.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Where the hell is she?" Arc paced around the front gate.

He had been waiting for her return for sometime, but there was still no sign of her. He climbed the wall to survey with his spyglass, but the only thing he saw was a flock of dodo birds pecking at loose berries on the beach. He cursed himself for not following her and he cursed Kylie for her arrogance.

"She survives a few fights and now thinks she can go out in the wilds without any protection." He grumbled as he saddled Beau. "Her arrogance is going to get her killed."

"Come on Arc… don't be to hard on her." Edward trident smooth him over. "Last time I checked, you've made some stupid mistakes in our early days."

Arc nodded but it didn't make it any better. He had lost too much at this point and wasn't going to lose someone else because they had a personal vendetta over an honest mistake. Edward sat backwards on Beau's back while Arc steered the group out in the forest. They followed the only set of prints that she could have made into the forest.

There were also two sets of smaller prints made by the cubs. Arc and Edward were relieved that the cubs were smart enough to follow her instead of wandering off on their own. It was only a small comfort because cubs that small would be at risk of being eaten by anything bigger on the island.

The tracks led deeper in the forest where they mingled with a much bigger animal. Arc identified the prints as Diplodocus tracks. They were shaped similarly to Brontosaurus, but smaller in size. The tracks led even deeper into the woods with the Diplodocus following until they suddenly stopped. The diplodocus tracks veered to the left, but Kylie's just end mid step.

"Do you think she hitched a ride?" Edward knelt in the soft dirt.

"Possible." Arc drew a line with the butt of his glaive. "The animal turned left here, so there is a chance it's not far."

The two continued on foot with Beau following behind. Being closer to the ground made seeing the prints easier and it gave the snow white unicorn a break from carrying two people on his back. The trail led to the animal in question. A big dunce looking Diplodocus was busy munching on plants when the trail ended, but Kylie and the cubs were nowhere to be found.

"I wonder if she go away from it while running." Arc looked around.

"The trail ended abruptly and there was no sign of her." Edward reminded him. "Unless… She was nuzzled by the animal."

Arc hissed with displeasure. Diplodocus are very passive and friendly animals even when wild, but that doesn't make them free of any risk. They love hugs and affection so much that a nuzzle would send a person flying into a tree. Arc had it happen to him once prior to meeting Kylie. The animal was so enthralled by him that it chased him for miles trying to get a hug from Arc.

The two then retraced their steps to where Kylie's tracks ended and searched the area. There had to be a sign of her on the ground somewhere. Argentavis don't fly this far south and none of the other predatory flying animals that have a taste for human flesh have the strength to pick up a full sized adult. Arc had another theory on what happened to her though. Dragging his weapon through the dirt, he walked straight till he almost toppled over a steep hill. He teetered back and forth on one leg several time before stabilizing himself.

"That's quite a drop…" Arc surveyed the hill. "And it looks like someone or something rolled down it quite recently."

"That's not the worst part." Edward pointed to the bottom. "I see blood."

Arc swore and got to his feet. He whistled loudly in the direction home was and waited patiently. A minute passed, then five. After about seven minutes, chattering and clicks could be heard and the fern underbrush rustled with movement. Gears and Mavis peeped out from the underbrush and trilled with excitement. They never stray far from Arc, but they were not as fast as Beau was so it took time for them to catch up.

"Okay. Let's get down there." Arc lashed a rope around a nearby tree. "I'll go first and then have the Dilophosaurus follow."

Arc slid down the hill and then motioned for the others to follow. Mavis was hoisted down next and was followed by Gears. Getting Beau down was a bit more challenging. Using the front strap of his saddle for an anchor, Edward literally slid the animal down the side on his feet. At the bottom though he lost his grip. Arc was in the way when it happened and it was a horrible case of bad timing. Beau managed to keep his feet under him, but poor Arc got up close and personal with the unicorns hindquarters. To the point where the term brown nosing was taken to a whole new level.

With a solid thump, Arc fell back holding his nose while Beau nickered and trotted off as far as the rope would let him. Edward slid down and helped Arc to his feet.

"I always knew that it was a fucking lie." Arc said with a muffled voice.

"What is?"

"A unicorn's ass smells nothing like candy and rainbows. They have been feeding us lies for years!" Arc looked borderline serious as he made that remark.

Edward only sighed and looked over at Beau. The equine didn't look completely traumatized so he was sure that Arc's special kiss didn't scar the animal.

"Well… just make sure you wash your face when we get back." Edward pressed on leaving Arc behind.

He spat on the ground before catching up to Edward with Beau and the Dilophosaurus in tow.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Kylie trudged on with her wound still bleeding and the cubs following along. They were still at the bottom of the cliff and had not found a way back up yet. Thunder cracked above them and the clouds grew dark signalling a storm was on its way. Whether or not it would encompass the entire island had yet to be seen.

She strained to keep going though. The pain she was dealing with was significant and every second that passed sapped more energy from her than the last. Finally feeling that enough was enough, she grabbed the stump of the branch that skewered her shoulder and pulled as hard as she could. The stick squelched as coagulated blood released its grip and the stick moved around. She screamed as it came loose, but as soon it was out she feel the pain subside to a throbbing burn instead of a searing pain.

While she felt the release of the stick being her shoulder, the scream she made rang a dinner bell for any predator in the area and there was three very big ones skulking around. They ran as a pack and had scattered bony plates on their back. Crests adorned the top of their heads and their jaws were lined with sharp serrated teeth. There was one though that was bigger and meaner than the rest. His blood red bony plates clashed with his silvery white color. His belly was black as pitch and each arm was equipped with three very long clawed fingers. His two beta females were a tawny brown with olive green plates and a tan underbelly.

The three followed the scent of blood until they spotted a small puddle of it on the ground. The blood spot was accompanied by sets of tracks that led them down the cliffside. The tracks eventually winded their way to a rather delicious sight. It wasn't the human that they heard earlier, but a flock of wooly sheep. They were completely unaware of any sort of predatory presence, but they also had other guests watching them.

Arc, Edward, and the Dilophosaurus stumbled upon the sheep to and were trying to discern Kylie's tracks from the numerous hoofprints. Their struggle left the group completely exposed to the Allosaurus' ambush, the Alpha male growled at his two betas and they started to pan out in a wide circle. The first one was going to flank the left side, while the other got the right. The alpha was just about to engage when Arc shouted loudly.

"Got her tracks!" He waved his glaive.

The shouting made the Allosaurs pause for a few critical moments. The sheep started to shamble off and the pack lost their chance at an easy meal. The alpha growled out of annoyance and guided his pack deeper into the woods so that they might try again at a more opportune moment.

Arc and Edward on the other hand were still hot on Kyle's trail. She had veered right down the hillside and seemed to be making her way towards the Writhing Swamps. Arc cringed at the thought of going near those swamps again. There were more dangers there than you could shake a stick at which made it more inhospitable than normal.

"Once we save Kylie, I'm going to kill her." Arc thought as he viewed the vast inlet clearing that overlooked the swamps.

Sure enough, he found Kylie and the two cubs wandering around on the sandy shores looking where they should go next. They seemed unaware of the inherent danger that the swamps posed though. Leaping crocodiles as fast as lions and snakes as thick as tree limbs. Swarms of piranhas as big as frying pans and fleet footed Baryonyx also skulked around the floodplain. The amount of danger they were in was insurmountable.

The two moved fast so that they might get Kylie out before she was caught in the jaws of something else that spotted her. Arc trotted along the beach with Beau while Edward skirted the forest with Gears and Mavis. Kylie was bent over the edge of the water when they met up with her. She saw their silhouettes peering over her shoulder as she cupped a handful of water. As she whipped around to greet them she was greeted by the back of Arc's hand.

Stunned by the attack, Kylie took several steps back and cupped her still stinging cheek with her hand. Arc was blood red in color, but Edward looked just as

"What were you thinking going out on your own with two defenseless cubs and no way to protect them?"

"Arc..." Edward tried to step in.

"Well I didn't think this would happen." She was still in shock from his attack on her. She wasn't used to Arc getting this angry. "I wasn't going to go far, I just needed to vent."

"Well congratulations! Your needing to vent left you injured and miles from any sort of safety. You damn lucky to be alive right now. There are a lot of things out here that can hurt you and even more that want to eat you." Arc was still steaming.

"Arc, you need to back off!" Edward shielded Kylie from Arc's rage. "She never thought this would happen. Just let it go!"

"She could have been killed today Edward, and to make matters worse she put Aggro and Connie in danger. They look up to and depend on her as their parent. This was practically child endangerment here."

"You're right! She could have been killed and so could have the cubs, but they weren't! I'm going to tell you one more time. Back the fuck off. " Edward was getting on Arc now. "I don't know what's gotten into you, but this isn't the man who inspires tribes to survive."

She cringed at their fight and looked down at Aggro and Connie. The cubs looked up at her playfully and wagged their tails. They seemed happy to be near her and completely oblivious to the danger they had just been through. She had already lost Roach due to her inexperience, losing these two would be devastating to her. His words and actions stung like the wound on her shoulder, but Arc was right. She needed to learn if she was to survive and she needs to be more aware of her surroundings.

Arc stopped his lecture and backed off. Edward pulled a cloth wrap and some white berries from a pouch on his belt. He had Kylie sit down and he began to patch her up. After squeezing the juice from the berries on the wound, he wrapped the cloth around it and tied it off in the back.

"The stimulant berries will make it heal faster and kill any bacteria in the wound." He stood back up and pointed west towards the forest in which they came. "Let's get home. Enough adventure for one day."

Kylie was hoisted onto Beau's back and the group started making the long trek home. As they departed, rain graced their brows and the heavy scent of clean moisture wafted through the air. The forest canopy kept the water off them for the most part, but every so often a bucket full of water would fall all at once and make a huge splash. Many other animals took shelter in the forest from the rain as well.

Among the larger reptilian dinosaurs was a small family group of Mesopithicus. The troop of monkeys were sheltering themselves under a fallen log while they picked at the ground for small insects and berries. Every so often one would get a little too bold and harass another, but was quickly put in their place.

Arc was comforted by the sight of the small primates. They had excellent hearing and would holler a shrill call at any sign of danger. He had even seen them scream at a Dilophosaurus that was sleeping. Unfortunately that ended up waking up the animal and got a monkey killed.

The rain pressed on and got heavier and heavier. The leaves could no longer sustain as viable shelter and the dirt was saturated to the point where walking was more and more of a chore. The ground was giving out in places where the soil was weak and water levels were starting to rise. It was hazardous to keep moving in this sort of storm, but it was even more hazardous to stay put. High waters were pushing animals out of their normal range and the predators were sure to follow. High waters also meant crocodiles were going to be bolder than usual and they may start hunting on land. They needed to get back before some sort of disaster swallowed them up.

Unfortunately a trio of nightmares has been trailing them for awhile. Keeping their distance, the Allosaurus pack has been stalking the group for some time now. The alpha male made a low rumble and the pack started to make a wide circle around Arc and his compatriots. The soft mud and the rain provided the perfect cover so they could sneak around without being heard or seen. The alpha stayed behind the group to make the final assault. His bright coloring makes him stand out like a sore claw and has ruined more than a few hunts for his pack.

They slowly got closer, crouching and dragging their hand claws through the soft soil. The only noise they made was the breath that leaves their nose. It was a subtle noise, but one animal did hear it. A young Mesopithecus hiding in a hollow log howled loudly. The noise put the whole forest on high alert. Arc and Edward immediately drew their weapons and stood back to back. Beau nickered and pinned his ears back. He shuffled his legs and whipped around wildly. He was scared and he could smell danger, but could not see where the attack would come from.

A low cackling growl came from behind them and Arc made a bold move. Reaching for his belt he pulled a gun and fired it into the air. A red light shimmered from the gun and lit the the entire area in a red glow. From the light came the source of their fears. Three looming Allosaurus had them surrounded with no escape. The alpha male standing tall in front of them would have been impressive if it were not for the fact that it was the incarnation of death itself.

"Nobody make any sudden moves." Arc whispered. "When I count to three you are going to run for the beach. Hopefully Beau is faster than the pack is."

"Wait… you just said…" Kylie looked confused

"Three!" Arc shouted as he could and slapped Beau on the hindquarters.

Beau took off running scared to pieces with Kylie holding on for dear life. While the pack tried to pick their target, Edward dropped to one knee and shot one of the beta females in the head with his rifle. The bullet struck right behind the animal's ear opening and caused a huge rupturing explosion. Blood hemoraged from the wound as the animal toppled over dead. The other two converged on the Dilophosaurs.

Gears and Mavis were not much of a meal, but they were the easiest things to grab and the slowest. These Allosaurs have dealt with humans in the past and they knew that while weak by themselves, they were also very dangerous to deal with. Their fallen brethren was proof of the inherent dangers a human could pose. Arc moved as quick as he could to get between them. He wasn't aiming for Gears and Mavis though. Jumping at the last moment, Arc rammed his body into the side of the other beta female's head. She still ran straight, but her head turned to the side. This blinded her long enough that instead of grabbing Gears or Mavis, she was bit herself by the Alpha.

She squealed as blood dripped from fresh bite marks on her head and neck. Arc wasn't doing well either. Due to the bony protrusions on their head, Arc realized that tackling one like that was going to leave you full of scratches and bruises. He stumbled and fell to his knee as the two predators toppled over each other.

The beta female now had a long deep gash on the side of her face that spilled buckets of blood every time she moved her head. The alpha was back up on his feet though and charged at Arc with his mouth agape. He whistled loudly making Gears and Mavis chatter with excitement. The two ran off into the underbrush herding the two cubs towards the beach. They left Arc and Edward to fend off the remaining Allosaurus on their own. With one down and one severely injured, the alpha saw that the scales were slowly tipping away from him and this hunt was looking to be a waste of energy. As a dominant predator in the area, the alpha had two choices. Either turn and flee so that he may survive or take his chances against the scrawny but cunning human beings that stood before him.

The remaining beta female stood at his side ready to fight. The two roared in unison as lightning flashed behind them in the sky. Arc and Edward slowly backed up as the two stepped forward. While they had great starting momentum against the Allosaurus, they were both tired from chasing Kylie all day and the rain was sapping their energy.

"This is bad…" Arc wiped the water off his face. "Unless we get a miracle then this will be our last fight."

"Then let's make it a fucking good one then!" Edward reloaded his rifle with another bullet and slammed the chamber closed.

The two aimed their weapons at the Allosaurs and dropped to one knee. Either way this was ending with someone dead. Arc was sure it was going to be them though. Out muscled and underpowered, Arc and Edward counted down their final moments. The alpha male charged forward with his mouth agape. His teeth glistening in the backdrop of lightning. The time it took to close the distance between the two sides slowed to five heartbeats a second. At the last moment, Arc shut his eyes and accepted his fate.

There was no pain though. Infact all he felt was wet from the rain and he heard war cries. Light pierced through his closed eyelids and he heard the footsteps of several large animals thundering towards him. He slowly opened his eyes to see a group of armed dinosaur riders charging over the hillside. Other members were on foot or lead packs of smaller animals that could not bear the weight of a human on their back. At its head was a man clad in flak armor riding upon a silver grey Tyrannosaurus with splattered red marks. He drove his mount right into the side of the Alpha Allosaurus, making it squeal in pain. It reeled back several steps and confronted this new threat with reckless abandon.

The female was under attack as well. The men and women who came to aid Arc and Edward threw hooked ropes over her body and ran in the opposite direction. The hooks latched to her armor plating and forced her down. Before she could even retaliate, the hunter had become the hunted. Stakes were tied to the end of the ropes and nailed in the ground.

"Quickly troops!" The man astride the Tyrannosaurus shouted. "Rally to our Chiefs and take down this bastard!"

Everyone involved ran to their aid and surrounded the remaining animal. He looked in all directions for an escape, but there was none to be found. A Tyrannosaurus stood in his direct path and he had a Therizinosaurus and a Carnotaurus flanking his sides. He roared and snapped his jaws at anyone who came close, but dared not move from where he was. The men and women who rallied waved weapons and torches to keep the animal subdued while others threw hooks similar to those used on the female.

"I want him alive!" Edward approached the animal as they restrained his jaws.

Edward put his boot on his snout and peered deep into his eyes. He was satisfied with what he saw, but was also slightly disappointed as well. He knew that Allosaurs worked best in packs of three, but due to worrying about his survival first Edward killed the other female that made this pack whole. Now he would have to settle for just two or hope that he could integrate a third animal into the pack somehow.

"Sir. Are you two okay?" The flak armored rider removed his helm as he dismounted. It was Desmond, the appointed captain of the guard after Ramsey's death.

"Bruised and battered, but no worse for wear." Arc commented as he sat down in the mud. "How did you know where we were? We never told anyone what was going on and we were miles from the compound."

"We saw the flare you fired over the tree line. We were preparing a scouting party to investigate when your female compatriot showed up at the front gate." A young female rider approached with the Carnotaurus in tow. "She was frantic when she arrived, saying that she left you and her Thylacoleo cubs behind."

At that moment Arc remembered that he ordered Gears and Mavis to go and hide with the cubs in the underbrush. He then put his fingers to his lips and whistled a patterned call. Chattering was given in response and his two little hunters appeared from the underbrush. They used their frills to guide Aggro and Connie out as well and they were all met with open arms.

"At least everyone got out of this safely." Arc sighed.

The rain slowed to a stop as the afternoon wore on into the night. A team of riders aboard Triceratops arrived after receiving word of the captured Allosaurus and got to work. They hooked massive chains to the bindings that held the animals down. They were then sedated with heavy narcotics and hauled back to the base. As the teams worked to get the two Allosaurs home, the rest of the people that came out worked to butcher the Allosaurus that had died in the fight. The meat would prove useful in not only taming the two new Allosaurus, but also feed the people and animals of the compound for a few days. The hides would also be useful in making armor and covering for saddles.

The moon was at its highest when everyone was finally safe within the walls of the compound. Desmond worked diligently with the men to get the Allosaurus pair locked up in a holding pen while the meat was carried off to the kitchen to be prepared.

"Where is she?" Arc asked one of the female warriors who claimed to have seen Kylie approach the front gate earlier that day.

"She is being treated by the healers chief." She pointed to a tent.

"Thank you." Arc waved her down and walked off towards the tent by himself. "Why do they call me and Edward chief. We liberated them from Ramsey. We didn't annex them."

Throwing the tent flap to the side, Arc found Kylie sitting on a fur lined bed with a healer changing the bandage on her shoulder. She never met his gaze, but he still sat down on a bed opposite of her. She intentionally looked away from him, angry and ashamed at what happened today. Arc only sighed and looked down.

"I'm sorry." He said with a flat tone. "That was uncalled for."

"What." Kylie looked at him out of the corner of her eye.

"Slapping you the way I did." Arc scratched the back of his head. "It was wrong and uncalled for. I shouldn't have ever done that to you. I expected more than I ever should have out of you and I guess its because you remind me of myself."

Kylie stayed silent, more interested in hearing what he had to say instead of commenting.

"But I will not apologize for what was said. You are very lucky to be alive today. I can name a half a dozen ways we could have all been killed because of this event. I thank my lucky stars we weren't, but next time luck may not be on our side." Arc stood and extended a hand to her. "From the ashes of our defeat we will rise again. We must shake loose the despair of our past and begin anew. We are no longer the Thunderhoof Traders. Like the phoenix that is reborn after death, we will begin anew as well. We are the Ark's Angels."

* * *

 **So... being the crazy son of a gun that I am, I have started developing a third story while I work on both my Pokemon and my Ark stories. Stay tuned to find out what its about.**

 *****As always, Please** **REVIEW** **. Any feedback is very helpful, appreciated, and valuable.**

 *****Seriously! The only way that I can improve or hear your thoughts on my story is if you tell me as a community. LET ME KNOW!**

 **If you want me to review a story you have written before you review mine, tell me!**

 **Got a crazy idea... I love crazy! Let me know!**


	13. Chapter 13

**As always... Please read and enjoy~Scriffignano**

* * *

 **Chapter 13**

Arc leaned over a table in the old Buckler Mansion scanning through pages of documents before placing pins in the huge table map. Every new document ended up leading to a new pin on the map that spiderwebbed over the whole island. The pins were in different colors and ended up dotting the whole of the island in some grand puzzle.

" _What does all of this mean?_ " Arc tried his best to understand what the notes he was reading about told him.

He paused his research for a brief moment and looked out the window behind him. Kylie could be seen outside sparring with another person out on the training field. Ever since she stranded herself, Arc has put her through a rigorous training regime that tested both her mind and body. From combat practice to helping clean the stables, she was finally getting the training she was supposed to get under the protection of the Thunderhoof Traders.

Protection is a strong word to use though. Desmond, the recently promoted commander of the compound has been working tirelessly to keep the facade that Ramsey was still alive. He sent correspondences to the Titans regularly to make it seem that nothing had ever happened. It was a risky business forging letters in Ramsey's name, but the payoff has been quite significant thus far. They have gotten information that was privy to the Titans from animals they were in need of to their resource convoy routes. Information that they could use against them in Arc's eyes.

Unfortunately that is no longer the biggest issue in his mind now. This vendetta that Arc has had against the Titans for wiping out his tribe is only the tip of the iceberg. After combing through the documents that Ramsey had squirreled away and the treasures he has hoarded for himself, Arc knew that there was a bigger fight that was going to have to be fought eventually

" _We can't wait much longer to understand this though._ " Arc turned his attention to a glowing metallic artifact in the shape of a crown.

He took the artifact in his hands again to look it over. It hummed in his fingertips and the light pulsed almost like a heartbeat. It seemed almost alive to him, but what did it do. He continued to ponder the artifact in silence until the door opened with a creaking noise.

"Still working at it?" Edward strolled in the room and went to the corner of the room where Gears and Mavis were sleeping to pet them.

"No… just trying to come to grips with everything I have found out." Arc sighed as he put the crown like object down.

"What have you found out?" Edward kicked back in the chair across the desk and looked at a note written in fancy script. Gears jumped up in his lap and trilled loudly.

"A whole lot of information riddled with holes and missing pieces. I don't know where to start." Arc rubbed his eyes. Mavis nudged his arm for pets, but he did not respond to her.

"How about with the green crown of light over there. Find anything out about that." Edward pointed at the artifact.

"That thing is the biggest mystery of them all." Arc pressed his implant and aimed it at the artifact. "Artifact of the Pack. Stronger than any lone creature, one may die but the pack will survive. That's all I get out of it."

"Maybe it's a clue." Edward looked at all the dots on the map. "If this one refers to pack mentality then maybe there are others like it…"

"You might be onto something." Arc sighed.

"Take a break. Go for a walk or something and I'll take over for now." Edward got up and punched Arc on the shoulder.

Arc agreed and left Edward to the mess of papers he had on the desk. He was more for combing through information than Arc was anyways. He would have a field day piecing the puzzle together. Gears and Mavis stayed behind with him as well, more content on being house pets than hunting partners these days.

Once outside, Arc took a deep breath and looked around. The compound was looking better and better every day. The once white banners that hung over the wall after Ramsey was killed had been changed once more. Now they were red and had a picture of white angel wings on them. In the middle of the wings was a pickaxe and a hatchet crossed over each other. They now called themselves the Ark Angels, guardians of the Island. Their mission was to liberate tribes from the oppression the Titans have been instilling over them for a long time.

In fact… the only tribe that has been able to stay free of Titan control is the Tundra Amazons to the north, but to seek them out was to put himself in danger. Aya was not fond of men and she would only deal with other women when it came to trade or diplomacy.

"Its the only option we have." Arc walked over to the sparring fields where Kylie was still swinging her practice weapon.

She was facing up against the young woman from yesterday who rode on a Carnotaurus. Her name was Taya and from what Arc had heard she used to be a peasant woman from the French Revolution. A low borne street rat turned fighter and adept survivor was something that Arc really admired about her. Not only that, but she has also caught onto some of the more modern technologies rather quickly even though she sometimes messes up the names of items. Arc's personal favorite was when she called an assault rifle an attack rifle. He laughed until it hurt his chest when that happened.

Deciding that he needed to spar himself, Arc picked up a wooden sword and stepped out on the field. He pointed his weapon at Taya and gave her a challenging stare. She answered him by waving her sword over at Kylie to show that they were done for now and started circling with Arc. The circle got smaller and smaller as the two sized each other up until their blades were almost touching each other. Once they heard their blades tap each other, the fight started. Arc side stepped and swung at her waist which was met with a block. Taya then disengaged and flanked him to the right to aim for his shoulder. He dodged by rolling and then locked her blade at the hilt using his own. The two struggled against each other for a second before stepping away again. Once they disengaged they charged each other again in a flurry of attacks. It was a brilliant display and with every swing, pieces of wood would fly off. In a last minute attempt to get an edge on Taya, Arc jumped over him to throw her off balance. Taya was too fast for him though and took out his feet as he sailed over her. He landed on his chest and was met by the tip of her sword when he turned over.

They both breathed heavily and the crowd that gathered to watch clapped at their contest of arms. Arc sighed and laid back. He was tired, but the skirmish was exactly what he needed to clear his mind.

"Just to let you know… I would have won that fight if I had my glaive."

"Uh-huh. Sure you would have."Kylie pulled him to his feet with Taya's help.

Arc put his sword back on the rack and went back to the two girls. They spent some time discussing the state of the compound along with how Kylie's combat practice was going. She was excelling quite well, but her temper would often lead to her making mistakes when she got frustrated. An issue that could only be tackled with time and more practice.

"How are Aggro and Connie?" Arc looked around for the cubs.

"Ask them yourself." She whistled.

Never straying too far from their surrogate mother, Aggro and Connie jumped out from the crowd of people and tackled Arc to the ground. This act was out of playfulness instead of aggression though. The young animals had almost tripled in size since the events with the Allosaurus and they were now strong enough to ride. Saddles were even made for them and the straps were adjustable for any continued growth.

"Oh shit they weigh a ton!" Arc struggled to get the two Thylacoleo off of him.

"You calling them fat?" Kylie joked with him.

"No. They are just big kitties is all." Arc extricated himself and dusted off his shirt. "Have you ridden them yet?"

"Just around the base is all. They are big animals and I'm not quite used to riding yet." Kylie scratched Connie behind the ear.

She loved both animals with all of her heart, but it was obvious that Connie's unique color and calmer disposition made her the favored animal for Kylie to ride. Aggro on the other hand while very well behaved was preferred to be riderless unless the person who had the reins was a very advanced wrangler.

"Let's change that." Arc grabbed Beau's bridle and saddle. "Meet me at the gate in ten minutes."

Kylie sighed and nodded her head. Arc has been working her hard everyday. She knew it was for her own benefit, but she was hoping that after her sparring with Taya she would get a chance to take a break for awhile. This was not to be though. Arc's riding lessons were usually very rigorous and would test her body to their limits. It was especially hard with Thylacoleos because of their unique ability to climb like a oversized squirrel.

She met him at the gate and he was waiting quietly with Beau. He was laying down and Beau was nibbling on his hair which made him giggle. Kylie only giggled, finding it cute that he had a good relationship with Beau.

"Ready?" He smiled and jumped in the saddle.

"Yeah..." She sighed and got up on Connie's back.

Arc knew that she thought this would be another training session, but she was in for a surprise. Once they were out on the beach overlooked by the base, Arc drew a line in the sand. He then grabbed two long sticks and tied cloth to them. He then staked the two branches in the ground before getting on Beau's back.

"Alright… What are we doing today?" Kylie was in no mood to train more.

"Well… I thought we might have some fun" Arc got back in the saddle. "Race ya!" He spurred Beau into a sprint down the beachfront.

"No fair!" She scoffed and ordered Connie to chase him down.

The two raced down the beach in an attempt to gain ground over each other. Arc was nice enough to let her catch up, but that's it. Once she was even with him the race was on and there was no holding back.

"Last one around the crooked palm tree and back to the poles wins!" He leaned low over Beau's neck, giving him the support he needed to sprint ahead and leave Kylie in the dust.

" _Alright wise guy… Bring it on!_ " She smiled.

Kylie steered Connie over to the right a bit and hand her bound up a huge rock. Once she was at the top, Connie jumped and closed the distance between her and Arc considerably. It wasn't enough though so she did it again. This time she got the upper hand and sailed right over Arc and Beau. She landed a few feet ahead of them and sprinted off.

She and Connie swung themselves around a really crooked palm tree and sprinted back towards the two poles that Arc had stuck in the ground. He was hot on her heels though and the trampling of Beau's hooves could be heard over the crashing of the waves on the beach.

As they closed in on the finish line, the tide inched in making the water spray as their animals feet touched the surface. Kylie couldn't help but laugh as the water sprayed her face. Now she understood the thrill of riding like this and why Arc was so addicted to it. There was a sense of untamed freedom that came with riding. The wind in her hair, the shining sun, and the exhilaration of speed made her feel more alive than she ever had before.

Unfortunately while she was lost in the moment, Arc caught up and passed her and Connie at the last second. They crossed the finish line and were the winners of the race. Arc cheered and waved his arms wildly as they boasted their victory. Kylie could only laugh, for she had her own mini victory that Arc could never take from her. She hugged Connie when she got off and sat down next to her.

Connie laid down as well and placed her big head on Kylie's lap. This was the break she needed. There was no training or lessons… only fun. Arc knew all along that she needed a break, but was waiting for the right moment to let her have it. Nothing like sitting on the beach with your best animal friends to make you feel relaxed.

"Wanna go again?" Arc sat down next to her.

"Maybe later. I don't want to push Connie too hard." She saw that Arc was giving her a weird look. "In the event there might be an emergency of course."

"Of course." Arc chuckled.

"Guys!" Edward's voice could be heard from behind them.

They both turned to see him sprinting up on his recently trained Allosaurus. He named the animal Grimnir. The beta female that was captured as well he named Sauras. Edward had a big smile on his face and he had a book filled with loose notes in it.

"What is it Edward?"Arc waited for his friend to get out of the saddle.

"Turns out I was right. There is a bigger picture with that strange artifact." He had a smile from ear to ear.

"Wait… there are more of them?" Kylie butted in the conversation.

"Yes. There are ten of them to be exact. They seem to be keys to unlocking ancient powers within the island." Edward showed them some of the notes.

"Well this is the first I've ever seen one of them. Where are they located?"

Edward's smile then vanished and he hissed a little. "In the caverns below us..."

"Well..." Arc paced in the sand. "That explains why I've never seen one. I try to avoid the caves."

"Caves?" Kylie was confused. "What's so bad about the caves here?"

"They make the swamp look like a paradise to be honest." Edward informed her. "Giant bats as big as modern day eagles, Spiders that work in packs like wolves, and giant acid spitting Arthropleura."

"Acid spitting what?" She was already scared.

"Giant armored millipedes with an attitude problem." Arc cringed. "I've been in the cave systems before, but I never went that deep because of the creepy crawlies that lived down there."

"It's no accident they live down there though. Its stated in these documents that the island uses them as a natural defense to protect these artifacts."

The air was heavy with contemplation. These artifacts had some sort of hidden power. That's clear to see, but to delve the caves to get to them posed a huge issue. They have been known to swallow survivors in their winding tunnels and never allow their return.

"The resources needed to clear those caves will be costly. Weapons, armor, medicine… its a tall order." Arc sighed and crossed his arms.

"I know… which means getting- What's an Argentavis doing here?" Edward pointed to the sky.

A giant eagle like bird or more commonly known as an Argentavis flew overhead and was headed for the compound. It wasn't one of their animals though which concerned Arc. He got up and headed back to see what was going on. Edward and Kylie followed him with haste.

Once they got in the gates, they found that they had a very unusual visitor in their midsts. It was one of the warriors from the Tundra Amazons. She wore armor made of mammoth skin and had a broad battle axe strapped to her back. Her feathered friend was adorned with a armored saddle and a sort of helm that made its beak even more formidable to look at. Its feet and talons had steel covers to protect it and make its natural weapons more dangerous.

"I am Marie of the Tundra Amazons! I wish to speak to your commander!" Her voice echoed over the buildings.

Everyone looked in Arc's direction, but he wasn't the one who acknowledged her as the commander. Kylie caught him point at her out of the corner of her eye. She swallowed hard, realizing that Arc was practically passing the powers of diplomacy over to her since there was no way that she was going to hear out Edward or Arc.

"I am one of the leaders." Kylie gathered her courage.

The woman's eyes seemed to pierce Kylie's skin. "You?"

"Well I didn't stutter did I?" Kylie knew that this woman probably already had her opinions on the situation.

"Very well" Marie approached and pulled a scroll out of her top. "I am here on orders to seek the help of Ramsey Buckler's tribe. I assume you are his so called wife."

Arc went wide eyed at the comment, but did not show any other emotion. Edward had to supress the urge to laugh, but he maintained his cool as well.

"I was no wife of his and Ramsey is dead. Killed by his own greed when he tried to kill my… underlings and I." She tried to cozy up to Marie so that she wasn't treated with hostility.

" _Underlings?_ " Arc was impressed by her word choice. " _Way to play to her culture._ "

"Is that so? And who might you be then?"Marie towered over Kylie as she stood before her.

"Kylie. I am Kylie Kendra, leader of the Ark Angels, formerly of the Thunderhoof Traders!" Kylie tried to remain calm.

"Really?... I thought the Thunderhoof Traders were wiped out a few weeks ago." Marie crossed her arms. "And the Ark Angels… never heard of them before."

"It's a new tribe. We formed after the death of Ramsey." Arc finally stepped in.

"Silence! The women are talking here." Marie silenced Arc with a condescending tone.

Arc stopped talking and let Kylie take over from there. The two went back and forth for several minutes, negotiating on matters that seemed dire. They made sure to speak softly enough so that only they could hear what was said. It irritated both Arc and Edward that they were being left in the dark with such matters, but they knew how Marie's people were. So they bided their time until the two were done.

At the end of the exchange, Marie handed Kylie a scroll and gave a slight bow. Kylie returned the gesture and wished Marie a safe flight back to her territory.

"One more thing..." Marie mounted up on her bird. "You may bring… them... If you must." She pointed at Edward and Arc.

She cracked the reins and her Argentavis took to the sky and headed north to the base of Whitesky Peak. Once she was out of view, Kylie opened the scroll and scanned its contents. She tried to decipher what it said, but the writing was foreign to her.

"I can't read this..." She sighed.

"Here." Arc tapped his implant and scanned the writing on the scroll.

Letters formed within a text box projected by the implant. The scroll stayed the same, but with the text box translating the words, they could now read what was said.

"It seems we will be making a trip north sooner than we thought." Arc grinned. "Pack your toothbrush and parkas everyone! We are off to meet the Matriarch of the Tundra Amazons."

* * *

 **A nice break from all the blood, hacking, and slashing. Time periods are going to start getting farther apart as time goes on. Chapters will be more like snapshots of their endeavors as they try to escape the island.**

 *****As always, Please** **R** **EVIEW** **. Any feedback is very helpful, appreciated, and valuable.**

 *****Seriously! The only way that I can improve or hear your thoughts on my story is if you tell me as a community. LET ME KNOW!**

 **If you want me to review a story you have written before you review mine, tell me!**

 **If you write your own story and want to collaborate on a chapter. Send me a private message.**

 **Got a crazy suggestion... I love crazy!**


	14. Chapter 14

**As always... please read and enjoy~Scriffignano**

* * *

Chapter 14

"Don't let it get away!" Arc raised his crossbow to rally his men.

After Marie, the shield maiden from the Tundra Amazons made the declaration of their leader wanting to confer with them, the people of the Ark Angels worked their hardest to acquire a means of aerial transportation. It wasn't that taking their ground mounts would have been impossible, but the terrain along with the myriad number of predators that called the frozen tundra home would have made the trip very dangerous and slow going.

At first they tried catching a few Pteranodons, but that ended in total disaster. Either the animals were spooked by human presence and flew off or they were too young to handle such a trip. They also knew the Pelagornis or the giant seagulls that patrolled the beaches were out of the question as well. Sea birds were difficult to tame because they always flee over the water at the first sign of danger.

An Argentavis like the one Marie flew in on would have been an excellent option if the Ark Angels didn't live several days from the nearest known nesting ground for the species. The Quetzalcoatlus was in the same category since they never came close enough to the ground to catch. Not to mention their tremendous size made them a bear to stable and keep fed.

As a last resort they managed to corner a strong adult Tapejara that has been known to roost to the south of the Ark Angels base. A strange creature by design, the Tapejaras is considered a jack-of-all trades Pterosaur that is as elusive as it is impossible to catch. Some say their head crests can detect air currents created by a person breathing while others say that they have great hearing. Either way it makes them very difficult to sneak up on.

"Edward! Bola the sucker!" Arc screamed.

Edward surged ahead on a borrowed Thylacoleo. Kylie was nice enough to allow Edward to use Aggro as a hunting mount for this capture. His Allosaurus would have been too big for the mission. After he used a rock to jump above the winged beast, he threw a bola much like the one used to capture Beau. The bola wrapped itself around the Tapejara's neck, but there was a catch to the contraption. It was tied to a rope that allowed Edward to use Aggro as an anchor. This effectively stopped it from flying away.

"Surround it!" Edward also gave orders.

The hunting party surrounded the Tapejara and threw hooked ropes over it. Those that missed were hooked to trees and roots while those that hooked on restricted the animal's movements even more. Its fate was sealed. No matter what, it was now an animal claimed by the Ark Angels.

.-.-.-.-.-

Kylie waited back at the compound for the hunting party to return. She was tasked with getting supplies ready for the trip while they were out. It annoyed her that she was left behind, but Arc and Edward did it purely out of necessity. They both considered her a valued member of the tribe and would have loved to have her on the mission with them. The issue was that the beast in question needed a veteran's skills and she was still learning some of the finer points of surviving on the Ark. She looked at the small bags of supplies and could hardly believe that this would be enough for them. The only sizeable items on the list was the three full sets of fur trimmed armor and a bag of spices for cooking.

"I hope I got everything we need." She sifted through the armor to find a set that fit her the best.

She continued to wait and wait near the gate with Connie resting her massive head on her lap. It wasn't until she heard the sounds of people shouting and a strange squawking noise did she open the gate. Sure enough it was the hunting party and they seemed to be successful in capturing a means of transportation.

"A Tapejara… I think." she muttered to herself as she approached the animal.

The animal was a vibrant mixture of greens, blacks, and pinks. The crest made up a huge percentage of its head and it seemed to be able to carry a person with minimal effort. All it needed was a saddle and reins and they would be ready to head north.

"Are you sure this animal will be okay in the frozen north?" Kylie was concerned about the lack of covering on the animal. "And I thought all of us were going?"

"It will be fine. Tapejara's have huge hearts and lungs. This allows them to keep themselves warm even in the coldest parts of the island." Arc tapped the animal's chest. "And… we are. Didn't I tell you that Tapejara's were strong enough to carry two passengers as long as we keep the weight down to a minimum. It's why our packing list is so short."

"Keep the weight to a minimum you say..." Kylie got that mischievous look in her eye. "Are you calling me fat?"

Arc had gotten used to her shenanigans a long time ago so he was used to her saying things like that. "If I was going to call you fat, I would have done so already." He acted like nothing was out of the ordinary as he tied a breakaway knot to a hitching post for Beau. "So… what should we name him?"

"I don't know? What do you want to call him." Kylie was unsure of a name.

"Why not keep it simple and call him Tappy." Edward chimed in jokingly. "K.I.S.S… Keep it simple stupid!"

"Save it Edward." Kylie barked.

"Well..." Arc shifted uncomfortably. "I have a name, but it might sound weird."

"What is it? It can't be that bad" Kylie was genuinely interested.

"Well… How about Futaba?" Arc shuffled.

"What's so bad about that name. It sounds perfectly fine to me." Kylie giggled at his embarrassment.

"It's because there is a plesiosaur species called Futabasaurus." Edwards shouted from across the field.

"Futaba sounds better than Tappy pal!" Arc shouted back at him. "Go get the saddle before I throw a rock at you!"

Edward sprinted off to get the saddle as a rock flew in his direction. If he had waited a moment longer the projectile would have hit him straight on the head. Arc merely huffed and started sorting through the bags that Kylie had gotten ready for the trip.

"Food, spices, rope, armor… Looks like everything is here." Arc was satisfied with the provisions gathered. "She did a heck of a job."

The bags were tied off to the saddle bars and everyone climbed on. Since this was Futaba's first flight, there was no telling how he was going to behave. Arc seemed quite sure of his abilities though and had everyone climb aboard Futaba. He squawked and bleated as everyone seated themselves, not used to the extra weight on his back.

"Release the ropes!" Arc shouted.

The handlers that were holding Futaba in place released their bonds which gave the Tapejara control of his body once more. He immediately took to the skies and tried to lose his unwanted passengers.

"Oh crap!" Edward held on to the saddle bars for dear life while Arc tried his best to grapple with the Pterosaur.

Futaba was not having it with there being three people latched onto his back. He rolled and twisted every direction he could think of in an attempt to lose them and go home.

"Oh no you don't!" Arc yanked on the reins so hard it made Futaba croak in pain.

He hated to do that to any animal, but Futaba was about to crash into a tree if he hadn't pulled on the reins. Many survivors have lost their lives to poorly trained flying beasts. Arc wasn't about to be counted amonst those who have fallen to their death because they got careless in the saddle.

Once he saw that Futaba was settling down into his new role, Arc steered him to the north and loosened the reins slightly. There was no need for a constant tug of war between them, but he did keep vigilant in case of another potential disaster. The flight should only take them until nightfall since they were in a hurry, but it was going to be nerve racking the entire time. Between Futaba being a freshly saddled animal and having two screaming passengers begging not to die by being thrown off, Arc couldn't tell which was worse.

Other pterosaurs joined them in their flight north, forming a "V" formation to reduce the amount of energy needed to fly. Arc took pleasure in seeing the other animals because it seemed to put Futaba at ease. The tailriders stuck around with Futaba up until the northern delta system came into view. Ice and snow dotted the water and a thick blanket of snow covered the mountain cap. At its peak stood the colossal blue obelisk. The tower itself wasn't blue, but the light that came from the tower was blue.

"Where are we going?" Kylie shouted over the blustery wind. "I know its near that mountain, but she didn't give us much to go on!"

"It's on the northern side!" Edward pointed ahead of them. "The Tundra Amazons literally built their stronghold into the mountain side if my memory serves me right!"

"If your memory serves you right?!" Kylie questioned him. "The fact you said that scares me more than anything else."

Futaba started getting winded from the strain of flying with all this extra weight. To ease the strain, Arc started looking for a place to land near the river. It was a gamble to land in unfamiliar territory, but there was also no reason to kill Futaba from exhaustion. Landing may increase their risk of death, but falling out of the sky would guarantee it.

Futaba croaked as his feet touched the ground. Arc chose a spot next to a melting river to take a break and raid their bag of rations. While the three ate, Futaba got a drink from the river and happened to catch a fish that swam by. He swallowed the Coelacanth whole after bobbing his head back several times. Watching him do that made Kylie giggle a little bit.

"He acts like a pelican when he eats."

"Big deal... I can do that to." Arc tried to swallow a strip of jerky whole only to choke on it for a second or two.

"Better leave the pelican act to him… you idiot." Edward laughed as Arc pounded on his chest to dislodge the jerky.

Everyone laughed and continued to relax in relative peace even though they were completely exposed. Their weapons were never far from their grip and they all turned to sit back to back to watch for incoming danger. Arc especially was on edge for one reason or another. He was facing the forest and something felt off to him. A malicious presence radiated from the forest that made Arc stand up.

"What's wrong?" Kylie looked at him.

"Everyone… get on Futaba..." Arc whispered just loud enough for them to hear. "Quickly but quietly."

Knowing that to question further would be a death sentence, Kylie jumped to her feet and took her spot on the saddle's middle seat. She waited for Edward who was backing up slowly towards the saddle himself

"What is it?" Edward kept his focus on the forest that Arc was staring at.

"Remember the stories of the creature that can kill a rex with ease?" Arc backed up as well.

"Yeah… why?" Edward had a hint of fear in his voice.

"Because I think we are about to meet that creature!" Arc turned and sprinted towards the saddle.

No sooner than he turned his back to the forest, a huge predator charged out of the forest. It had a deep green coloration with black markings on its back. A ghastly metallic roar came from it as the beast charged at them with killer intent.

"Get us out of here!"

Futaba got into the air and out of the predator's reach just in time. The beast snapped its jaws at them, but was too big to lift its feet off the ground. They circled just out of range of the animal, making sure that it had no intentions of following them before they continued their flight north.

"What is that thing?" Kylie was breathing heavily. "That's not a Tyrannosaurus is it?"

"Worse..." Edward was heaving as well. "That's a Giganotosaurus. The king of all predators."

The Giganotosaurus watched them with a hungry glare before looking back at the forest. With heavy footsteps, it retreated back to the cover of the trees to wait for its next potential victim.

"That thing is absolutely terrifying." Kylie shivered.

The Giganotosaurus left them in pursuit of different prey. The beast while massive was able to slip into the forest with hardly a sound. Its presence or lack of one was terrifying and solidified Arc's reasoning for taking aerial transportation. There was no way that Beau, Aggro, or Connie would have been able to outrun such a beast. Thankfully there have been no reports of such an animal wandering south of The Western Approach so their current home was relatively safe.

Once they were sure that the beast wasn't going to cause any more issues for them, the group continued their trip towards the Tundra Amazon's home. The sun was low in the sky by the time they reached the base of Whitesky Peak. It was now a matter of getting around to the northern side before the bitter cold got the better of them. Even their fur lined armor only did so much to fight off the frigid weather. The wind and the snow combined with the effect of the cold air coming off the ocean made the weather almost unbearable to deal with. Futaba was doing a little better than they were, but not by much. Seeing the warm glow of the many sentry fires above the Tundra Amazon's home was a blessing.

At least they thought it was a blessing until they got closer to the compound. They were met by a line of shieldmaidens holding spears at the ready. A line of women behind them also held bows with arrows knocked in their direction.

"Don't shoot!" Kylie called out. "Don't shoot!"

No sooner than Futaba landed, Kylie jumped off and showed the letter that Marie provided them when she came to their encampment.

"No sheet of parchment is going to persuade us. State your business outsider!" One of the shieldmaidens bashed her sword against her shield.

"I am Kylie Kendra!" She spoke with a voice of authority. "Leader of the Ark Angels and former member of the Thunderhoof Traders. We come to discuss business with the matriarch of the Tundra Amazons!"

Arc and Edward were beaming with pride. She was handling the situation well and using a voice that almost demanded respect from those she spoke to. The shieldmaidens lowered their weapons and split to form a single person aisle up to Kylie. At the other end of the aisle stode Maria herself. She approached with two banner women at her heels. They each held a banner flag with the tribe's crest on it that flowed in the harsh winter wind.

"Kylie Kendra, Leader of the Ark Angels. We welcome you to our homeland." Marie addressed her with due respect. "I hope your travels here were met without trouble."

"Outside the biting wind and the run in with a Giganotosaurus, everything was just fine." Arc thought it would be safe to speak.

Marie's eyes narrowed at the sound of his voice and she showed her outright animosity. She then snapped her fingers and pointed at both Arc and Edward.

"Seize them." She commanded.

The warmaidens surrounded Arc and Edward and forced them to their knees. Their hands were tied behind their backs and they were held in place at spear point. Kylie started to interject until the cold tip of a steel blade was pressed to her back. Slowly turning around, she saw that it was Marie behind the threat. Her stare as cold as the snow around them.

"Do not interfere if you want to remain in one piece." Her words as cold as her stare. "Men are not allowed to speak amongst our people unless spoken to first. They will be returned once our business is concluded."

Kylie slowly nodded and backed away from the sword blade. Edward and Arc were both escorted away leaving Kylie by herself with Maria and the other maidens of the tribe. The two were pushed inside a large wooden building and followed by two of the maidens. Kylie could only wonder what was going to happen to them, but first she had to worry about herself. It was clear these ladies did not like their male counterparts, but there was no telling how they viewed her.

"Now… I'm sure you are hungry!" Maria adopted a much friendlier tone. "Come. Some food and drink will do you good."

Kylie was escorted to a large longhouse built into the mountainside. Inside the room was dimly lit with an assortment of campfires and torches. A huge slab of meat was being grilled over a fire and several people were stirring giant vats of stewed vegetables and meats. There was even a whole terror bird being roasted on a rotisserie. Everything smelled divine which made Kylie's mouth water.

She was served at a long table by a woman who was unusually large even for their tribe. She was easily seven foot tall and her arms were as thick as tree limbs. As Kylie savored the food provided, she watched the woman work, bussing the tables and managing the food being provided. It was only when Kylie watched the woman lift a table with one arm like it was a serving tray did she truly appreciate her strength.

"That's Valka." Marie sat beside Kylie with a large wooden mug. "She's our head chef and runs things around here."

"She looks like a tough cookie." Kylie said through a mouthful of food.

"Only in here. Otherwise she is as timid as a fawn on a summer day."

Kylie nodded, but she wasn't convinced after watching Valka crack a huge leg bone in half with nothing but her own two hands. She then took a giant metal file and started shaving the splintered ends off the bone.

"What is she doing?"

"Making mugs. We use bone and wood to make the mugs we drink from."

After the meal, Kylie was escorted to another building. It was a longhouse much like their dining hall, but this one was a single hallway lined with doors. Each door had a torch above it. Some were lit while others were not. Marie took her to a door with an unlit torch and lit the torch for her.

"The Matriarch will speak with you in the morning. For now, get some rest." Marie took her leave.

Kylie went in the room and found that it was a well furnished bedroom. The bed was piled high with pillows and fur blankets and there was a chest for her belongings. She looked outside and saw that some of the maidens had taken Futaba into a hangar for the night. Knowing that their mount was safe put Kylie at ease a bit, but she worried about Edward and Arc. What was to happen to them since Arc had to be daft and open his big mouth. She stared at the ceiling from where she laid and wondered until her mind was blank and she had fallen asleep.

A long way off though, Arc and Edward found their accommodations a little less than comfortable. They were both in wooden jail cells and they had been stripped of their weapons. The only source of warmth they had was the straw bedding they sat on. Edward was curled up sleeping while Arc sat and stared at the doorway. He then whistled a tune to break the monotony.

"Hey Edward… you awake?"

He got no response from his sleeping compatriot.

"Edward. Wake-up!" Arc tried to throw a pebble at him.

The pebble missed and bounced off the cage bars. Arc swore to himself and started looking for another one to throw.

"Now now… enough of that Honey Bunches." a new voice echoed in Arc's ears.

His heart dropped and he froze in place. Turning as slowly as he could, his eyes soon locked with another set of luminous forest green eyes. A young woman around the same age as Arc stood in the doorway. Her long mahogany brown hair flowed down to the small of her back. Her well built body was hidden under long flowing fur lined cloths held together by rings in the center of her chest. A golden circlet perched on her brow and emerald earrings hung from her ears.

"It's been a long time… hasn't it my love." The woman slowly walked over to his cell.

"Aya… how have you been?" Arc tried to avert his eyes. "It has been awhile. How have you been?"

She smiled and pressed herself up against the cell bars. "Come now… don't be that way… haven't you missed me?"

Arc started to fidget and his eyes were fluttering around wildly. His hormones were racing, but he tried his best to contain himself. Aya mere giggled and undid the latch to his cell and met herself in.

"Still as stubborn as ever I see." She approached him with a very seductive walk.

"Aya… please don't do this." Arc backed himself into a corner. "Don't you remember what happened last time you tried this with me."

Her smile vanished in an instant and she hugged her own arm. The pain of previous encounters came to the forefront of her memory. A tear graced her cheek and her stare became cold.

"I remember you banishing me. Leaving me in the cold just like everyone else used to!" Her voiced brandished hatred.

"I never once did anything like that. If I recall correctly I saved your ass when you first arrived here. You were pinned down by a pack of Troodons when we found you." Arc defended himself. "We fed and clothed you. Treated you as an equal and welcomed you to the Thunderhoof Traders with open arms."

"You treated me like everyone else even though. I had deep feelings for you." Her anger was growing. "Now I hear you have your arms wrapped around another woman. What does that whore have that I don't?"

Arc said nothing but turned his back to Aya. After he had struck Kylie for her idiocracy, he swore that he would never be violent again. The guilt he would feel would be too great so he gathered his composure.

"I'm sorry you feel that way, but you expected me to fall in love with you when I was getting over something myself. I told you my life was complicated before I got here, but you chose to ignore that." Arc turned to face her again. "And as for Kylie… we are tribemates. Nothing more and nothing less. Awful you would call her such a name… and you haven't even met her yet."

"Nothing more and nothing less you say…"Aya gained a cheeky grin. "And you say your over your previous complication."

"Well.. yeah I am, but… Wait a minute…" Everything sunk in for Arc all at once. "What are you doing?"

Aya said nothing, but pulled the pin that held the rings of her clothes together. They fell off her body without a sound and revealed her topless body. Her chest rose and fell with her heavy breathing. She then backed him into a corner and pressed herself up against him.

"Now that we are alone… we can move on with the main event."

Arc tried his best to resist, but she wasn't going to have it. She soon pulled him to the floor and forced herself on him. He tried desperately to get away,but she bound him her discarded garments. She kissed him and pulled at his shirt. She was just about to get him undressed when Edward started to stir. Aya had not realized that Edward was here as well and all of Arc's ploys to escape had woken him up.

"Hey can you keep it down? I'm trying to-" Edward went slackjawed when he saw what laid before him.

Arc was tied up and missing his pants. On top of that there was a woman laying on top of him in a very seductive manner. Her chest was bare and pressed against him. It was all too much to process and Edward seemed traumatized.

"WHAT THE HELL!" Edward's voice echoed over the entire mountain range.

* * *

 **A previous lover that hates men? Things are going to get I interesting around the Ark.**

 *****As always, Please** **R** **EVIEW** **. Any feedback is very helpful, appreciated, and valuable.**

 *****Seriously! The only way that I can improve or hear your thoughts on my story is if you tell me as a community. LET ME KNOW!**

 **If you want me to review a story you have written before you review mine, tell me!**

 **If you write your own story and want to collaborate on a chapter. Send me a private message.**

 **Got a crazy suggestion... I love crazy!**


End file.
